Mayhem Mountain
by Brandy Leigh
Summary: ~*COMPLETED*~ As Marguerite and Roxton explore the boundaries of their relationship, the residents of the treehouse embark on their greatest adventure yet. ~*CHAPTERS 1-14 UP*~
1. The Battle Begins

Title: Mayhem Mountain  
  
Author: Brandy Leigh  
  
Disclaimer: John Roxton, Marguerite Krux, Veronica Layton, Ned Malone and George Challenger don't belong to me, they belong to Telescene and Coote/Hayes. I'm not making any money off of this, so don't sue me!  
  
Feedback: DUH! Gimme! brandyb@exis.net  
  
Archive: I guarantee you I'll say yes, just ask me first so I can visit!  
  
Keywords: M/R, adventure  
  
Rating: PG-13 (because I refuse to rate it any lower!)  
  
Spoilers: None so far!  
  
Summary: As Marguerite and Roxton explore the boundaries of their relationship, the residents of the treehouse embark on their greatest adventure yet.  
  
Authors notes: I've been writing X-Files fanfiction for the past four years, but this is my first Lost World fanfic. I just recently became a huge fan of the show, and I knew I just had to write something or I was going to burst. I plan on posting all of my new X-Files fanfiction (because I'm not usually prone to sharing any of my fanfiction) as well of all of my Lost World fanfiction, so please read, review, and be kind! Love yaz!  
  
  
  
  
  
Mayhem Mountain  
  
by: Brandy Leigh  
  
  
  
~*~  
  
Love was not an emotion that Lord John Roxton ever thought himself capable of. Every since the death of his brother, William, he had withdrawn himself into an inner blockade which kept him from letting his emotions flow forth. He was a very stubborn man who tended to keep to himself unless a challenge or chase was at hand, and he'd be damned if he'd ever let a woman run off with his heart. That is, until he met Marguerite Krux.  
  
Marguerite was a complicated woman, one that any sane man would have given up on long ago. Not that she didn't have the appeal to turn heads, but her cold exterior was one factor that tended to push many people away. She had lived a harsh and cruel life that had forced her to defend herself in any way necessary to devoid herself of pain. However, Lord Roxton was slowly but surely breaking that barrier down.  
  
Every since the two first met on the infamous plateau two years prior, there had been a connection between them. Albeit they tended to bicker more than any two people ever known to the rest of the Challenger expedition, it was obvious they cared deeply for one another. When they were alone together, apart from Malone, Challenger and Veronica, they tended to explore the above mentioned connection. Which, my friends, is where we find them on this moonlit evening.  
  
On the balcony of the second floor of the treehouse, our favorite couple sat comfortably on the wooden bench that overlooked the plateau. While the plateau may be full of dinosaurs and headhunters and other creatures promising imminent death, it was still a beautiful spectacle to behold. As was the scene playing out between our beloved Roxton and Marguerite.  
  
"You know Marguerite, I can never get enough of the time you and I spend alone together," Roxton said as he took a sip from his glass.  
  
"Mmm," Marguerite replied, drinking from her own glass. "It's a shame we don't get a chance to do it more often."  
  
"Yes, it is. There always seems to be a T-Rex or demon or some other monstrosity that ruins the moment."  
  
"Isn't that the bloody truth!" She exclaimed, laughing somewhat at their situation.  
  
Clearing his throat and shifting his weight slightly, Roxton nodded off in the direction of the jungle. Softly, he said, "Well, you know Marguerite, I don't hear any T-Rex's."  
  
Marguerite grinned. "Neither do I. And I certainly don't think there are any demons around, either."  
  
Nonchalantly, Roxton looked around the treehouse, which came off as a very cute gesture. "Do you think it would be safe to risk, oh I don't know, say a kiss?"  
  
"Why Lord Roxton, are you suggesting that you and I should engage in such an intimate act?" Marguerite asked, feigning innocence.  
  
Suggestively, Roxton replied, "My dear Marguerite, it wouldn't be the first time."  
  
Marguerite just smiled up at the ruggedly handsome Lord Roxton as she waited for him to act on his proposal. She didn't have to wait long, for his lips soon descended upon her own. As the moonlight drifted down upon the pair, and the gentle summer breeze gently caressed their skin, their tongues danced an eternal lovers dance. Flames of desire that were, more often than not, stifled by fear and fragile hearts, were full ablaze. All of this love and passion flowed forth from one single kiss.  
  
But, just as quickly as the kiss began, it ended. Roxton pulled back, looked down at his beautiful Marguerite and said...  
  
"Would you stop snoring, already?"  
  
"What?"  
  
"You sound like a bloody bullhorn!"  
  
Roxton's face dissolved, and the line between fantasy and reality blurred as Marguerite slowly woke up.  
  
"What the hell are you talking about?" Marguerite asked sleepily.  
  
"You heard me. You could wake the dead with that godawful noise!" Roxton exclaimed as he turned to walk back out of her room.  
  
Marguerite growled and pitched her pillow at the back of the retreating Lord Roxton's head. "Take that, you bloody ape!"  
  
"Just what in God's name was that for?" He asked as he picked up the offending item.  
  
"For interrupting a good dream, thank you very much!"  
  
Roxton was suddenly intrigued. "Oh, a good dream? Involving?"  
  
"None of your business, mister. Now give me my pillow, I'm going back to sleep."  
  
Roxton grinned wickedly, then shook his head. "Not so fast, malady. You threw it at me, remember? I'll give it back to you-"  
  
Marguerite grabbed for the pillow, but Roxton jerked it back. "-but only if you'll tell me what your dream was about."  
  
Marguerite scoffed. "Not on your life, Roxton. I'll use my shirt for a pillow if I have to. I'm not telling you a thing."  
  
"Have it your way, Marguerite. Two can play this game," he said as he stood and tucked the pillow under his arm.  
  
"Play what game? You have nothing to hide from me."  
  
"Oh really? How would you know? There are many things about me you don't know, and most likely will never find out."  
  
"I have my ways, Lord Roxton." Marguerite said, full of defiance.  
  
Roxton gave her the sweetest smile he could muster and replied, "Oh but my dear, so do I."  
  
And thus began the latest saga in the battle between Lord John Roxton and Marguerite Krux.  
  
~*~  
  
End Part 1  
  
~*~  
  
Authors notes: I totally intended for this to be a serious part, but my muse took over (as usual), and this is how it turned out. I'm telling you people, I don't write these stories. The stories already exist, I'm just the medium that helps put them on the screen! Anyway, I would enjoy your input. Let me know what you think, because feedback is the only way I can convince my muse to help continue this story.  
  
~*~  
  
Possible questions answered in part 2:  
  
Will Roxton discover what Marguerite was dreaming of?  
  
What secrets could Roxton possibly be hiding... if any?  
  
What in the bloody hell is Challenger trying to invent now?  
  
You'll have to read to find out... 


	2. Round One

~*~  
  
Disclaimer, etc. in part one  
  
~*~  
  
Authors notes: Wo, hey, just realized how short part one was. Bah! I hate short parts. But alas, my muse creates what it wants... And it's trying it's hardest to KEEP me from writing part two! I swear, it's always so hard to expand on the first chapter for me...  
  
  
  
  
  
Mayhem Mountain (2/?)  
  
by: Brandy Leigh  
  
  
  
~*~  
  
"Marguerite! Come back here! I swear, if you do it I'll-"  
  
"You'll WHAT?!" Marguerite yelled back at Roxton. "You come any closer and I swear on every jewel in my possession they go flying!"  
  
Marguerite held the last of Roxton's cigars in her hand, and she was standing dangerously close to the balcony of the treehouse. She grinned evilly and danced them even closer.  
  
"Marguerite!"  
  
"If you want them back, you'll tell me what I want to know."  
  
"What the bloody hell do you want to know?!"  
  
"Tsk, tsk. And I thought you were smart, Roxton."  
  
The events which led up to this moment were simple. Marguerite wanted answers, and she fully intended to get them, no matter what it took. She wasn't quite sure if Roxton was really hiding things from her or if he had just said what he did to get her worked up, but either way it was working. She wasn't about to let him get the best of her, so she went for the one thing she knew he valued: his cigars.  
  
Quietly, Marguerite had snuck into Roxton's room while he was napping. She knew exactly where he kept the godawful things, for she was no stranger to his room. Careful not to stir the sleeping lord, she snatched them from his knapsack and slunk back out to the hallway. Grinning, she tucked them under her arm, went back into the main lounge area, and waited for the fun to begin.  
  
It didn't take long for Roxton to realize his cigars were missing, for on occasion, after a nice long nap, he tended to take time to enjoy one. He tried to spread them out as best he could, for he knew that once they were gone that would be the end of them. He knew for sure that there were no cigar shops deep in the jungles of South America.  
  
Sleepily, Roxton reached into his knapsack, only to grab blindly at a puff of air. Befuddled, he looked down to confirm that indeed, there was nothing there. No cigar box, not even the remnance that there had ever been a cigar box there. As he heard the snickering of a very familiar she-devil, he knew exactly where to find them.  
  
Dashing into the make shift living room, Roxton found Marguerite in one of the chairs, rolling his cigar box around in her hands. She looked up at him calmly, then waved the silver box around in the air.  
  
"Looking for something?" She asked sweetly.  
  
"Yes, and I believe you know exactly what I'm looking for. Hand them over, Marguerite," he said without amusement.  
  
"My, aren't we a little anxious? I think a deal is in order, here."  
  
"What are you talking about?" Roxton asked, afraid to know what the answer may be.  
  
Marguerite sat the cigar box in her lap, then grinned. "I do seem to remember you mentioning something about 'two playing this game'?"  
  
Roxton sighed then took a step forward. "I'm not in the mood, Marguerite."  
  
"Oh, but my dear Lord Roxton, I am!"  
  
Jumping up, Marguerite made a mad dash for the balcony, bringing us to the precise moment you kind fellows made your way to the treehouse. But thankfully no cigars went flying and no one toppled anyone else, for Challenger came flying into the room, making his presence undoubtedly known.  
  
"For Gods sake, look out!" Cried Challenger as he tore through the room, running straight for the balcony.  
  
George Challenger was an intelligent man. Intelligent, but not always bright. A scientist who could selfprocaimably out-invent Einstein himself, Challenger was always dabbling with some new gadget to help get himself and the others off of the godforsaken plateau. More often than not his inventions either backfired, or got them into more trouble than they'd been in to begin with. Every once in a while one of his inventions would work, and once again he would consider himself the great Einstein-incarnate.  
  
Both Marguerite and Roxton stared after the older man as he pitched a flaming beaker off of the balcony, and both flinched as it immediately exploded.  
  
"Well, that was a close one," Challenger said calmly as he leisurely made his way back towards the lab.  
  
"Close one? You could have killed us!" Marguerite said, infuriated.  
  
"Oh, nonsense!" Challenger exclaimed, sounding offended. "I knew exactly what I was doing!"  
  
Roxton just shook his head and laughed as Challenger disappeared through the doorway. He just knew that one day that man would either save them all or get them all killed. He shook his head again as he remembered the task at hand.  
  
"As for you, Marguerite, would you stop playing your mind games and give me back my cigars?" He asked as he reached for them.  
  
"I don't think so, Roxton. You know, sometimes you can be so-"  
  
Before Marguerite could finish her sentence, a scream tore through the air making them both jump. The couple dashed to the balcony to see who, or what, had made the horrendous noise. To their surprise, and horror, a petite redhead was making a bee line straight for the electric fence.  
  
"Help me! Please, don't let them kill me!" Screamed the girl.  
  
"Oh God, she's going straight for the fence!" Exclaimed Marguerite.  
  
"Wait! Just stay right there!" Roxton shouted down to her. "Whatever you do, don't touch the fence! It's electric!"  
  
The girl just kept running, not understanding the meaning of the word 'electric'. She shakily lunged towards the fence and grabbed hold with both hands, hoping to push through and make her way to safety in the house high above the trees. Both Marguerite and Roxton looked away as they heard a sickening electric pop.  
  
"Oh my gosh, that was close!" Exclaimed a familiar voice.  
  
The two looked down to see the girl, still alive, holding on to the fence with wide, frightened eyes. Apparently, just seconds before the girl flung herself onto the fence, their friend and owner of the treehouse, Veronica, sent one of her daggers flying directly at the power cable. If she had been even a fraction of a second slower, the girl would surely be dead.  
  
Veronica Layton was an extraordinary person, to say the least. Abandoned over a decade ago when her parents disappeared into the forest never to be found, she was forced to raise herself. With help from the near by village of the Zanga, Veronica had managed to survive to be a beautiful blonde jungle woman. She made a home in the treehouse that her parents had originally made as a scientific research center, and was the first kind person to greet the explorers when they arrived on the plateau.  
  
With a sigh of relief, Roxton and Marguerite looked at each other. Cigar box and secrets momentarily forgotten, the two waited for Veronica to escort the girl up into the treehouse. Their quarrel would have to wait... for now.  
  
~*~  
  
End part 2  
  
~*~  
  
Authors notes: Wow... I churned that out fast. I can't believe I got the second part written so fast! I've never updated a story any sooner than a week, but I guess you all just motivated me on! A big thank you goes out to everyone who took the time to read and review. Please, keep letting me know what you think! As I said before, if you don't, my muse won't help me finish this! Thank you all!  
  
~*~  
  
Possible question answered in part 3:  
  
Is anyone curious as to why Marguerite is so familiar with Roxton's room?  
  
Who is this crazy redheaded girl who made a suicide leap for the electirc fence?  
  
Uhm... where's Malone?  
  
You'll have to read to find out... 


	3. Julian Gatessi

~*~  
  
Disclaimer, etc. in part one  
  
~*~  
  
Authors notes: Sorry it took me a few days to get this out to you... I've had a rough week and it's been slow going. I hope this part isn't a disappointment compared to what you've already read!  
  
  
  
  
  
Mayhem Mountain (3/?)  
  
by: Brandy Leigh  
  
  
  
~*~  
  
Veronica managed to pry the girl from the electric fence, and with Malone's help, escorted her to the elevator that would take them up into the treehouse. Malone didn't know how he and Veronica had happened to be in the right place at the right time, but he knew that if they had stayed at the Zanga village a moment longer, the girl in front of him would surely be electrocuted.  
  
Out of everyone within the Challenger expedition, Ned Malone was one of the ones who had changed the most. Before stumbling upon the plateau, Malone was a very solitary man. Living through the eyes of the characters in his stories, he was unaware that sometimes, life could be quite the harsh reality. With the help of the other explorers, and Veronica, he had managed to accept reality as it truly was.  
  
Once in the safety of the treehouse, high above the everyday dangers of the plateau, the new stranger seemed to calm down from her initial scare. Timidly, the girl looked around the room, from each explorer to the next. Finally, her eyes rested upon Veronica, the woman who had saved her life.  
  
"Forever am I in debt to you," the girl spoke slowly, her voice thick with an unfamiliar accent. "You have saved my life."  
  
"You don't owe me anything," said Veronica with a smile. "I only did what was right."  
  
The girl nodded and replied, "Yes, I suppose you are correct."  
  
"My good heavens," came Challenger's voice as he emerged from his lab. "What is all the commotion?"  
  
"Veronica and Malone arrived at the treehouse just in time to save this young lady from being electrocuted by our fence," Roxton said. Turning to the girl, he added, "May we ask your name?"  
  
The girl bowed her head as if embarrassed, then replied, "Please forgive my informality. My name is Julian Gatessi, and I am from the ancient village of Gesha. We are housed atop a great mountain in the far east of the plateau by the name of Maschou Monso."  
  
"Mayhem Mountain," Marguerite said thoughtfully.  
  
Roxton turned to look at her, amazed as always by her linguistic abilities. Marguerite just shrugged as if it were no big deal.  
  
"Yes," the girl said, nodding in amazement. "You know our language?"  
  
"Why, our Marguerite knows many languages," Challenger replied. "She never ceases to amaze us."  
  
"Which brings us to the introductions, I presume," Roxton said. "My name is Lord John Roxton, and this is Marguerite Krux, Professor George Challenger, Ned Malone, and Veronica Layton." Each person nodded a hello in response. "Veronica is the owner of this treehouse," he concluded.  
  
"Which, if you'd like, you can stay in for a while. You seem to need somewhere to, well, hide out," Veronica said.  
  
"Oh, yes. That would be highly kind of you!" Exclaimed the girl.  
  
"What brings you to our humble abode?" Challenger asked, taking a seat at a nearby table.  
  
The girl took a seat as well and proceeded to tell her story. "My people, the Geshans, we are a very peaceful people. We refuse to kill another living creature, even to hunt. We rely on those around us to provide us with the proper... cannibalistic nutrition to survive."  
  
"You make it sound so appealing," Marguerite said sarcastically.  
  
The girl gave her a nervous smile and continued. "This peaceful nature, as I'm sure you would imagine, often gets us into trouble. We have no weapons, not even for defense. We are at the mercy of every creature with evil intent that happens to cross our path."  
  
"How long have things been this way?" Malone asked curiously.  
  
"For far too long, but there's nothing we can do. And now this peaceful nature has everyone in our village's life at risk," Julian said with a sad sigh.  
  
"Is that why you were running?" Roxton asked. "To escape someone who was taking advantage of your way of life?"  
  
Julian nodded. "Yes, the Chucahna."  
  
"Chucahna... fear eaters?" Marguerite asked.  
  
"The Chucahna need no food to survive, they are predators that feed on the fear of the innocent."  
  
Everyone looked at each other, not quite sure if they were hearing Julian correctly.  
  
"So you're saying that these Chucahna actually live off of the fear of others, as a nutritional object?" Challenger asked, baffled.  
  
"Yes."  
  
"That's physically impossible!"  
  
"Nothing is impossible here on the plateau, George," Roxton replied.  
  
"Isn't that the bloody truth," Marguerite said with a sigh.  
  
"And there's nothing anyone can do?" Veronica asked.  
  
"Well, there is one thing, but no Geshan has the courage to pursue it," Julian told her.  
  
"And what would that be?" Malone asked.  
  
"To go into the heart of Maschou Monso, and face the Ultouma."  
  
"The Ultouma?" Roxton asked, not quite sure if he wanted to know what it was.  
  
"Fear itself. Anyone who faces the Ultouma must confront their greatest fear. Once that is done, the Ultouma will be weak. Only then can one get past it to obtain the Goblet of Courage."  
  
"What will the Goblet of Courage do?" asked Challenger.  
  
"Allow us to be free."  
  
The explorers looked at each other and nodded, an unspoken agreement among them.  
  
Roxton turned to the girl and smiled. "My dear, today is your lucky day."  
  
~*~  
  
End part 3  
  
~*~  
  
Authors notes: I know this part is very short, but hey, it's midnight, I'm tired, and this is just how it ended! *grin* A big thank you goes out to all of you who have reviewed and motivated me to continue writing. "Forever am I in debt to you."  
  
~*~  
  
Possible questions answered in part 4:  
  
Is it really wise to trust Julian Gatessi?  
  
What have our heroes gotten themselves into this time?  
  
For the love of God, WHY is Marguerite so familiar with Roxton's room?!  
  
You'll have to read to find out... 


	4. Love Is In The Air

~*~  
  
Disclaimer, etc. in part one  
  
~*~  
  
Authors notes: Okay... I really don't like the way part three turned out, but I'm going to try and justify it with part four. I have a good idea where this is going, so all I have to do is get our heroes to that point and I think everything will be going good. But first, I have to give a big thanks to some special people: Audrey, Jaclyn and TLWROX. You three have reviewed the most and have truely motivated me. To everyone else, you are all greatly apprecaited. Thank you!  
  
  
  
  
  
Mayhem Mountain (4/?)  
  
by: Brandy Leigh  
  
  
  
~*~  
  
Everyone knew what they had to do to help save the Geshan race, and everyone was prepared for the journey ahead of them. They were packed and ready for the two day trip to Maschou Monso. There would be day of celebration and preparation, and then the time would come to enter the fissure within the mountain and face their greatest fears. Everyone had an idea of what they would be facing, and nerves were on edge.  
  
For Roxton, he was sure he'd be facing his brother. Marguerite was convinced her past would be coming back to haunt her within the mountain. Veronica knew she'd be hearing news that her parents were indeed dead. Malone was afraid he'd find himself in the middle of the war again, while Challenger thought he'd have to face the world and be ridiculed for his failures.  
  
Of course, it wouldn't be that bad, would it? They say that you have nothing to fear but fear itself, and yet they were trekking halfway across the plateau to do just that. But yet, they all put aside what worries they had and continued on. They knew they had to help Julian and the others. It was their duty, as Challenger had once said. With knowledge comes responsibility.  
  
And so we find our heroes in the middle of the jungle. They are hot, sticky, and tired. Nightfall is fast approaching, and soon it will be time to set up camp. No one can really sleep at this point, but they all know that rest is better than nothing at all. With this knowledge, they stop their hike and begin to make camp.  
  
Four tents in all, ladies and gentlemen. One for Julian, one for Challenger, one for Malone and Veronica, and one for Marguerite and Roxton. Once a small fire was started and the night watch was assigned, each climbed into the tent they had agreed to sleep in. And judging by the above mentioned pairings, the night was bound to be quite interesting...  
  
"Oh for peets sake, will you scoot over? Hey, you're hogging all the blankets!" Marguerite complained.  
  
"Well my dear, I'm sorry to inform you that if I move over any further I'll only end up taking more blankets with me," Roxton replied with unexplainable patience.  
  
"Oh, fine then!" Marguerite said, trying to get comfortable. She hated camping out in the middle of the jungle, it always made her miss her bed back at home in the treehouse.  
  
'Home...' she thought. 'It's strange, really. We're trying so hard to find our way back to London, yet we consider the treehouse our home now. Is our quest pointless now that we've become accustomed to life here on the plateau?'  
  
"You know, Marguerite, you might try being nice to me for once. One of these days I might get tired of trying to put up with you," Roxton said. He was joking, but to Marguerite it didn't seem that way.  
  
"Really?" she asked quietly.  
  
Roxton rolled over to look Marguerite in the eyes, and he gave her a reassuring smile. "No," he said. "Not really. I could never get tired of you."  
  
Marguerite let out a big sigh of relief. One of her biggest fears was that Roxton would refuse to stay by her side and just leave her in the cold. She had experienced it so many times before in the past, but she wasn't sure if she could handle it if he did it. For some reason she found herself giving her whole heart over to this man, and she didn't know what she'd do if she ever lost him. It was one thing she didn't like to dwell on.  
  
"Don't scare me like that," she said with fear evident in her voice.  
  
"I'm sorry," he said softly. "I know you're afraid that I'm going to abandon you, but I won't. I can't."  
  
Marguerite just smiled and scooted closer to him. She pulled the blankets up and stretched them so they were around them both. Reaching across the small distance that was left between them, she found his hand and took hold of it. Roxton smiled back in response, then slipped even closer to her.  
  
"Now I think you've got the idea of sharing a tent, Marguerite," he said with a smile.  
  
"Oh do I?" she asked.  
  
"Mmhmm... You know, I'm getting a strong sense of deja vu, here."  
  
"Oh are you?" she asked, still playing innocent.  
  
Roxton smiled and leaned in, bringing his lips only millimeters from her own. "Very much so," was his reply.  
  
"Mmm, so what happens next?"  
  
"This," he said as he closed the gap between them. Their lips met in a sweet but demanding kiss, and Marguerite let out a soft moan. She cupped his face in her hand and deepened the kiss, delighted in his own small moan of happiness. Neither of them cared if someone in a nearby tent heard, they were content in eachothers company.  
  
"Did you hear that?" Malone asked Veronica from their tent.  
  
"Yes," Veronica said with a slight giggle. She knew exactly what Marguerite and Roxton were doing, and she wasn't surprised at all. She had actually expected it, and was only surprised that it had taken this long for it to happen.  
  
"Sounds like their having a nice night."  
  
"You could say that," Veronica said with a sly grin.  
  
"What's that look for? You look like you've got something up your sleeve," Malone asked suspiciously.  
  
"Well, maybe I do."  
  
"And just what would that be?"  
  
"Oh confound it, not you too!" Exclaimed Challenger from next to them. He had been unfortunately placed directly between the two couples tents.  
  
"Oh hush, Challenger," Veronica chided him. "Love is in the air."  
  
"Love? Bah!" he said grumpily. 'Love is back home in London,' he thought.  
  
"Love?" Malone asked with a slight gulp.  
  
"Oh, I um..." Veronica stammered, suddenly shy. "You know, I'm feeling a little lightheaded, I should probably get some fresh air."  
  
With that, she darted out of the tent, leaving Malone to wonder outloud, "But, but Veronica! You're in a tent in the middle of the jungle? How much more fresh air can you get?"  
  
Challenger just chuckled. "Serves you right, my boy. Don't play with fire unless you intend to get burned."  
  
"You don't know what you're talking about, Challenger," Malone replied as he stuck his head out of the tent.  
  
"Oh but I do. I know that getting involved here on the plateau will only lead to trouble."  
  
"How do you figure? Marguerite and Roxton are in love and they're doing just fine."  
  
"Just fine? Lad are you blind? Those two bicker like nothing I've ever seen! They're no more alike than night and day!"  
  
"But yet they still find love in each other," Malone said. "If they can make it work, why can't Veronica and I?"  
  
Challenger sighed and pushed aside his tent flap so that he could look over at Malone. "Ned, do you honestly think that when the time comes to go home she'll come with us? And if not, would you be willing to stay here to be with her?"  
  
"I... I don't know," Malone replied, a little taken back. "I hadn't really given it much thought lately."  
  
"Exactly my point," said Challenger as he closed his tent, leaving Malone to ponder what he had said.  
  
'What if he's right?' Malone thought. 'What if getting close to Veronica would only cause disaster? I mean, if we go home Roxton and Marguerite can still be together, but Veronica and I are separated by two different worlds. Would either of us really be willing to give up our entire lives just to be together?'  
  
"Hell if I know," he thought out loud, "but I'll be damned if I give up without trying."  
  
Meanwhile, Marguerite and Roxton were still locked in a sweet embrace. Neither of them had even heard the discussion which had taken place just a few feet from them. Both were too indulged in the sweet, passionate kiss that was being shared. Finally, Roxton broke the kiss and looked down at his beloved.  
  
"Marguerite, there's something I need tell you. I've wanted to say it for a while now, but I've just never found the right time."  
  
Marguerite looked up at him with wide, shining eyes. She knew exactly what he was going to say, but yet she wasn't sure she was ready to hear it. If she did, she knew she'd never be able to live without him by her side.  
  
"What is it?" she asked cautiously.  
  
"I just want to say that I... Marguerite, I lov-"  
  
Suddenly, a scream tore through the trees and reached the campsite. Roxton jerked his head up towards the sound, cutting his sentence off before he could confess his undying love to the woman before him.  
  
"That sounded like..."  
  
"Veronica!" Malone shouted.  
  
~*~  
  
End part 4  
  
~*~  
  
Authors notes: Ooo lots of angst here! But, just like in the series, everything gets interrupted. Don't be mad at me people, I promise everything will work out in the end! Now all I have to do is get everyone to Maschou Monso. Trust me, you all are in for a big surprise once they get there. Mwahahaha...  
  
~*~  
  
Possible questions answered in part 5:  
  
Oh my God, what happened to Veronica?  
  
Is their quest to get back to London really pointless now?  
  
Will anyone ever confess their love?!  
  
You'll have to read to find out... 


	5. Malone's Fear

~*~  
  
Disclaimer, etc. in part one  
  
~*~  
  
Authors notes: Oh my gosh, guys... Your reviews are so sweet I think I'm gonna cry!  
  
Audrey - Yes, you're special! And a BIG YES to motivating me! It's people like you that make me want to continue this story!  
  
TLWROX - Of course a thank you for 'lil ole you'! You and everyone else are just the absolute best! Thank you AGAIN!  
  
Jaclyn - Don't thank me for the story, because it wouldn't be in existence if it wasn't for you! YOU guys are the true heroes of this story!  
  
veggie5 - I have to extend a special thank you to you also, because you've been following my story for a while. Yes, you really should be studying (as I should be doing my computer tech homework mwahaha), and I'm greatly honored that you're reading my work instead!  
  
  
  
  
  
Mayhem Mountain (5/?)  
  
by: Brandy Leigh  
  
  
  
~*~  
  
"Veronica!" Malone shouted as he darted out from his tent. Gun in tow, he started out after the sound of her scream without waiting for anyone to help him.  
  
"Malone, wait!" Roxton shouted as he grabbed his rifle. "Damnit!" he cursed as he realized it was a feeble attempt.  
  
Marguerite and Challenger were also grabbing their weapons, and each took off as fast as they could after Malone. No one even happened to notice that Julian, who was supposed to be on guard, had disappeared.  
  
"Veronica!" Malone shouted again. "Where are you?! Veronica!"  
  
"Ned!" she shouted back. "Help me!"  
  
Needing no further encouragement, Malone picked up his speed. Stumbling over rocks and roots, scraping his arms and legs, he refused to stop for a second. Finally, after what seemed like an agonizing amount of time, he came across a scene that would forever haunt him in his nightmares.  
  
Laid out before him was Veronica, bound to a stone slate. Slash marks cut deep on her arms and legs, across her stomach, and even a few had been carved upon her cheeks. Tears streamed down her face as she writhed in pain. Masked men stood around the slate, holding sacrificial knives that dripped with her blood.  
  
"Oh, God..." he murmured. "What the hell have you done to her?! Let her go!" he screamed at the men.  
  
"I'm afraid we can't do that," one man spoke.  
  
"He's right, my son. She has been chosen," spoke another.  
  
"Chosen for what, you sick son of a bitch?" Malone asked through clenched teeth.  
  
"To die."  
  
Thunder clapped to accent the man's words, two words that tore deep at Malone's heart. With a yell, he lunged forward, dropped his gun and took a wild swing at the man closest to him.  
  
"Malone, no!" Roxton yelled to the younger man as he, Marguerite and Challenger came into the clearing.  
  
As the explorers came closer, a bright white light flashed and nearly blinded them all. It slung the three of them back, slamming each of them into the ground several feet away. They stared up in disbelief as they realized that something was trying to keep them from getting to Malone and Veronica.  
  
"It's like a forcefield," Challenger said in awe. "It's almost as if someone, or something, doesn't want us in there."  
  
"Well we have to do something!" Marguerite exclaimed. "Malone's going to get himself killed!"  
  
Just as she said this, one of the men picked Malone up with one hand, slamming him up against the stone slate that Veronica was laying on. The slate cracked with the force of Malone's body connecting with the stone.  
  
"NED!" Veronica yelled with wide eyes.  
  
Roxton winced, knowing full well that a blow like that had to hurt like absolute hell. He knew he had to do something to get through the blockade to help Malone, but he hadn't a clue how to go about breaking the barrier down. He looked over at Challenger frantically, hoping the older man would know what to do.  
  
"Challenger, how do you suggest we break through this damn thing?" he asked.  
  
"I wish I knew," Challenger replied.  
  
"Well I wish I knew what the hell was going on!" Marguerite shouted.  
  
"The answer is simple," came a voice from behind them. When the explorers turned, they came face to face with Julian.  
  
"And what answer would that be?" Roxton asked.  
  
"Ned Malone fears that a time will come when he cannot save Veronica. This is his greatest fear, and the time has come for him to face it," Julian replied.  
  
"What are you talking about, we haven't even gotten to Maschou Monso yet!" Marguerite yelled.  
  
"Oh, but we have. Look behind you."  
  
The explorers looked, and indeed a large mountain loomed above them. None of them knew how they had mysteriously been transported to a mountain miles away from where they knew themselves to be, but it seemed that they had truly reached Maschou Monso.  
  
"But how?" Challenger asked, dumbfounded.  
  
"Do not question the unknown," Julian replied. "Do not try to understand what is beyond your comprehension."  
  
Suddenly, realization hit Marguerite, and she looked up at Julian with eyes full of fear.  
  
"Julian, you said Malone's greatest fear was that he couldn't save Veronica," she said.  
  
"Yes, that is correct," Julian said with a nod.  
  
"Then that means..." Marguerite trailed off, not wanting to continue.  
  
"That Veronica will die," Julian finished for her.  
  
"No, I refuse to accept that!" Roxton shouted.  
  
"I'm sorry, but that is how it must be," Julian said as she pointed back to the scene before them. "Look."  
  
As they looked, they saw Malone frantically trying to keep all three of the cloaked men at bay. It was impossible for him to beat all of them, and everyone knew it. The explorers looked on in horror as two of the men held Malone back, and the third slowly brought his knife up above Veronica.  
  
"NO!" Malone screamed as the man quickly and viciously brought the knife down into Veronica's chest. His shout was echoed by all three of his comrades as Veronica cried out in pain.  
  
"Ned, I... love..." Veronica's words were cut short as she drew her last and final breath.  
  
"VERONICA!" Malone cried out as he dropped to his knees in the dirt, tears streaming down his face. It felt as if his heart was being torn from his chest. He had never felt any pain like this, not even in the war as he watched men die around him by the hundreds.  
  
"Oh God!" cried Challenger.  
  
"No..." moaned Marguerite. The woman who she had grown to love as a sister had just been slaughtered before her very eyes.  
  
"I... I couldn't save her," Malone managed to say through his tears. "It's all my fault... she died because of me!"  
  
As everyone sat in the rain that had now begun to fall, they felt the pain of Veronica's loss. It was as if something had been ripped from each of their souls. No one knew quite what to do, for no one had expected things to happen this way. Everyone just sat in solemn silence, tears and pain enveloping them.  
  
As if to accent Veronica's death, a bright flash much as the one before tore through the clearing. Each person covered their faces to block out the light, fearing what it might bring. When the light faded, much to their surprise, a healthy and unharmed Veronica stood before them. The men and the stone slate were gone.  
  
"Oh my God," Challenger managed to say. "It's Veronica!"  
  
"What?" Marguerite asked. "It can't be!"  
  
"It is!" Malone said as he dashed to her. He grabbed her in a fierce hug, and she hugged him back just as tight.  
  
"What the hell just happened?" Veronica managed to ask, her voice quivering with fear.  
  
"I don't know, but I thought I'd lost you," Malone said softly. "God Veronica, I was so scared."  
  
Veronica just collapsed into Malone's arms, exhausted from her experience.  
  
"Alright Miss Gatessi, or whoever you really are," Roxton said angrily as he stood up in front of her. "Just what the hell was that all about?"  
  
"My dear Lord Roxton, haven't you figured it out by now? Malone passed his test. He faced his greatest fear," Julian replied.  
  
"My greatest fear? What are you talking about?" Malone asked angrily.  
  
"As I explained to your friends earlier, your greatest fear was not being able to save Veronica and having to watch her die. You have now faced that fear and are free to pass into the cave. I warn you though, all of you must face your fears before you may enter," Julian explained.  
  
"That was your greatest fear?" Veronica asked, looking into Malone's eyes. "Losing me?"  
  
Malone just nodded slowly, sheepishly. "Seems that way, doesn't it."  
  
"Oh, Ned..." Veronica just grabbed him and pulled him closer. She glared up at Julian, angry for causing him such pain and anguish.  
  
"Do not be angry at me," Julian pleaded. "I did not cause this to happen. You chose to come and face the Ultouma. The great Chucahna King has fed tonight, and he is pleased. Once all of you have passed his test, you will be allowed entrance to the cave to retrieve he Goblet of Courage."  
  
Everyone just sighed, knowing full well that they had no way to turn back now. Their only choice was to continue on and finish what they had started.  
  
"So whatever happens when we face our greatest fears will be reversed once we have completed the test?" Marguerite asked.  
  
"That all depends," Julian replied.  
  
"On?"  
  
"Weather or not you pass."  
  
Eventually everyone made their way back to camp, but whatever chance they had of sleeping earlier had now been crushed to pieces. The explorers now knew there was a chance that each of them could die if they happened to fail their test.  
  
Back at the campsite, Veronica lay comfortable in Malone's arms. She was still shaking with fear and the memory of the pain she felt when she was killed. It was a feeling that would be deep within her forever.  
  
"Are you alright?" Malone asked softly.  
  
"I am now," she managed to say. "Ned, about what I said earlier, before I... died."  
  
"Don't worry about it, Veronica. I know you were just scared and hurting and-"  
  
"I meant it, Ned," she said, cutting him off.  
  
"You did?" Malone asked shyly.  
  
"Yes, I did."  
  
Malone just broke into a big grin, then slowly leaned down and captured Veronica's lips with his own. For once, Veronica didn't pull away or make up an excuse to leave. She just stayed safe in Malone's arms and enjoyed the feel of kissing him.  
  
~*~  
  
End part 5  
  
~*~  
  
Authors notes: Wow, wow, and more wow. I can't believe it! Two updates in two days... that's unbelievable for me! All I can say is that you guys really and truly made it possible for me to write this. I love you all, and I hope you are enjoying this just as much as I am by writing it! *Jumps up and down excitedly* LOVE YA LOVE YA LOVE YA!  
  
~*~  
  
Possible questions answered in part 6:  
  
Who will be the next to face their greatest fear?  
  
Will Challenger ever stop denying the mysteries of the plateau?  
  
Wow, someone finally said they loved someone... I'm just in shock here, people...  
  
You'll have to... yeah, you know the drill. 


	6. Worse For Roxton

~*~  
  
Disclaimer, etc. in part one  
  
~*~  
  
Authors notes: *Drops her guitar in the middle of playing ATWA by System of a Down and gapes at the computer screen* HOLY SNICKER BARS, GUYS! Make a girl feel special, will ya?! Well, I know I'm sorta copying Evil Irish Eyes by thanking everyone, but I can't help it! Speaking of Evil...  
  
Evil Irish Eyes - Omigosh your review had me rolling in my chair! You're so funny! Thank you so much for your interest in my story! But of course, Mayhem Mountain PALES to The Woman in the Black Heels and the Friendship Found! UPDATE SOON! *Grin*  
  
And to my OTHER most special reviewers (*nudges TLWROX, Audrey, Jaclyn and veggie5*), once again you guys had me giddy and near tears! *Grabs ya'll in a big group hug* I LOVE YOU GUYS!  
  
Side note to Audrey and Jaclyn - I DID IT! THREE CHAPTERS IN THREE DAYS! WOO!!!  
  
  
  
  
  
Mayhem Mountain (6/?)  
  
by: Brandy Leigh  
  
  
  
~*~  
  
Morning was slow coming for the explorers, the sun rising what seemed like an uncountable amount of hours after their mid-night excursion. No one had gotten a wink of sleep, with the exception of Julian, who was rather bright and cheery in the wee morning hours. Marguerite felt like pitching a shoe at her head.  
  
After much coaxing, everyone had managed to get out of bed and prepare themselves for the day ahead of them. Breakfast was eaten, tents were repacked, and soon they were ready to continue on to the base of the mountain.  
  
"Don't let your eyes deceive you," Julian said once they had began walking again. "We're not as close as you think we are."  
  
"What are you talking about?" Marguerite asked. "We can see the mountain straight ahead. It can't be more than an hours walk from here."  
  
Julian laughed then shook her head. "Silly woman. You are relying on your human senses to guide you. You must let go and feel with your spirit."  
  
"Feel with my spirit my ass! You know, for someone who we're trying to save you're sure giving us a mighty hard time!" Marguerite exclaimed angrily.  
  
"With that attitude, you'll never pass your test," Julian said smugly as she turned and walked away from Marguerite.  
  
Marguerite narrowed her eyes at the girl as she walked away. If she didn't know any better, she would almost think that the girl didn't want her to pass her test.  
  
"Only you would find a way to bring out the worst in a non-hostile race," Roxton said jokingly.  
  
"Why don't you just let it go," Marguerite said, speeding up to distance herself from him. It was obvious she was shaken up by what Julian had said.  
  
Walking behind Roxton yet in front of Challenger, Malone kept close sight on Veronica. She was walking next to him, yet her mind seemed to be a million miles away. He could tell that she was greatly disturbed by what happened the previous night, but it seemed to go deeper than that. He only wished he knew exactly what she had experienced so he could help to make it better for her.  
  
"You know, you don't have to keep watching me like I'm a child, Ned," Veronica finally said.  
  
"What uh, what are you talking about?" Malone stammered as he looked away.  
  
"You've been watching me intently for the past ten minutes!" she exclaimed. With a sigh, she said, "I promise you, I'm okay. I'm just a little shaken up still, but other than that I'm fine. Just give me some time and stop treating me like an invalid."  
  
"I'm just worried about you, that's all. I wasn't trying to treat you like you couldn't take care of yourself," Malone replied.  
  
Veronica smiled softly and said, "I know, but you don't have to worry about me anymore. I'm going to be just fine."  
  
Malone nodded slightly and smiled back. Her words made him feel only a fraction better, for he knew that she still had to face her greatest fear. He had no idea of what it could be, and he wasn't sure she'd be able to handle the stress after her life threatening experience the night before.  
  
"Wait," Roxton said suddenly, raising his hand to signal everyone to shut up and stop walking.  
  
"What is it?" Challenger asked curiously. "Raptors?"  
  
"No," he stated simply.  
  
"Apemen?" Malone asked.  
  
"No, they're human."  
  
"Where are they? What do they want?" Marguerite asked cautiously.  
  
"I don't know, but they're watching us, waiting to see what we do next," Roxton said as he scanned the area, rifle ready.  
  
There was a rustle of bushes behind Marguerite, and she knew they were behind her. She opened her eyes wide and looked over at Roxton.  
  
"Roxton..." she said quietly.  
  
"Just don't make any sudden movements," he said quietly as well, trying not to let the men hear.  
  
"Oh trust me, I hadn't planned on it," she replied.  
  
"Alright, when I say go, make a run for it. Got it?"  
  
Marguerite nodded, then braced herself. After a few seconds, Roxton aimed his rifle, then shouted, "GO!"  
  
Marguerite took off, making a mad dash to get behind Roxton. As she did, the men in the bushes leapt forward as if to try and grab her. She yelled out as one of them got a hold of her waist and pulled her back to him. Letting out a frustrated yell, she struggled against him.  
  
"Let her go!" Roxton shouted to the man, rifle aimed directly between the man's eyes.  
  
"Or what, you'll shoot me? You wouldn't dare risk it with me holdin' her here, would ya?" the man said in reply.  
  
"I wouldn't hesitate for a second!" Roxton shouted back.  
  
The man clutched Marguerite closer, running his grimy hand along her arm. He grinned a toothy grin and said, "Such a nice one we've got here, hmm?"  
  
"Ugh, let me go you disgusting little creep!" Marguerite cried as she tried to pull away.  
  
"Mmm, not so fast there, sweetheart."  
  
"I have never, nor will I ever be your sweetheart!" she screamed as she swung her knee up to connect with his groin.  
  
All of the men winced as they watched the man let go of Marguerite and bring both hands to his groin. Falling to his knees he let out a high- pitched yelp of pain.  
  
"That's it!" he managed through clenched teeth. "Get them!"  
  
As he said this, atleast five more men emerged from the bushes around them. Some were carrying knives, the others sported long hunting spears. They were large, angry men, and each of them had blood lust in their eyes.  
  
"Well, this isn't good!" Malone shouted.  
  
"Oh, you think?!" Marguerite countered.  
  
"Challenger, look out!" Roxton shouted, leveling his rifle and taking a shot at the man who was about to plummel his colleague. The man howled in pain and fell back, dead.  
  
"Roxton, behind you!" Veronica exclaimed. "DUCK!"  
  
Roxton did as told, and Veronica flung one of her daggers above and behind him. Roxton could feel it pass, and he knew it had just barely missed his head. To his relief, the man behind him grunted in pain and stumbled back against the tree. Veronica's knife stood at attention as it protruded from his chest.  
  
"Nice shot," another man said, coming up behind Veronica. "But I'm afraid that won't work with me!"  
  
"Back off!" Malone shouted as he brought the butt of his rifle around to connect with the man's skull. The man fell to the ground, clutching his head.  
  
"Thanks," Veronica said with a smile.  
  
"Anytime," Malone replied with a boyish smile of his own.  
  
"Why won't you just LEAVE ME ALONE?!" Marguerite shouted as the man who she had kneed in the groin ran after her to try his luck with her again.  
  
"What fun would that be?" the man asked with a grin.  
  
"Oh!" Marguerite exclaimed as she tripped and almost fell, allowing the man to gain a few feet.  
  
"Stop right there!" Roxton shouted, once again holding the man at gunpoint.  
  
The man stopped abruptly, knowing that if he made one wrong move he'd be dead. He turned and looked at Roxton, putting his hands up as a sign that he knew he was defeated. Roxton took a few steps towards the man, anger quite evident in his glare.  
  
Marguerite had stopped running by now and looked back to see if the man was still behind her. She saw that Roxton had the man at gunpoint and looked for all the world like he was going to kill him right on the spot. 'Serves him right!' she thought.  
  
"I should shoot you right where you stand," Roxton said angrily.  
  
"Well, then do it. What are you waiting for, huh?" the man taunted. Out of the corner of his eye he could see Marguerite standing only a few feet from him.  
  
The man grinned evilly as he lunged towards Marguerite. Roxton took this as his cue and let his finger pull back on the trigger of his rifle. Time seemed to slow as the bullet lurched towards the man, but by now he had already grabbed hold of Marguerite. Looking straight at Roxton, he reveled in the look of horror in the hunters eyes as he realized what was happening.  
  
Roxton watched in absolute terror as the bullet that he had shot, from his own rifle, tore through the chest of the woman he loved.  
  
"NO!" he screamed.  
  
Everyone around them stopped upon hearing his heartwrenching yell, turning to see what had just occurred. They were greeted with the sight of a fallen Marguerite, blood gushing from a gunshot wound in her chest.  
  
"Marguerite!" Veronica shouted, dashing to her side.  
  
"Jesus, what happened?" Malone asked, rushing to follow.  
  
Roxton just stood there in shock as he watched Marguerite lay there, gasping for air. He had done this. He had shot her. If she died, it would all be his fault... again.  
  
"No..." Roxton said, sinking to his knees. "Dear God, no..." he moaned.  
  
Realizing what must have happened, Challenger squeezed his eyes shut. He knew that if Marguerite died now, like this, Roxton would never forgive himself. He had yet to forgive himself for his brother's death, but if he were to lose Marguerite by his own hands, it would be the man's undoing.  
  
"How is she, is she okay?" Malone asked Veronica.  
  
"Oh God, it's bad. She's losing a lot of blood. Help, quick! Roxton, I need your help! Roxton? Roxton!" Veronica shouted.  
  
Roxton did not move, he only stared at the scene before him. He knew it had to be a nightmare. If he just waited it would all go away and he would wake to find Marguerite yelling at him for sleeping in, not dying before him.  
  
"We're losing her!" Malone shouted. "Challenger!"  
  
But there was nothing Challenger could do, nothing any of them could do.  
  
"John..." Marguerite managed to say through the pain. "Don't... blame... yourself..."  
  
"But I... it's my fault. I'm the one who..." was all Roxton could say.  
  
Marguerite opened her mouth to let him know that there was nothing he could have done to stop what had happened, but she had no more energy to speak. Instead she just looked him in the eyes, the unspoken words she desperately wanted to tell him written across her face. She managed to give Roxton one last smile, a smile that said 'I love you', as she closed her eyes... forever.  
  
"Marguerite?" Roxton asked softly. When she didn't reply he looked to Veronica. She shook her head softly, then hung it with sadness.  
  
"No," Roxton said again through tears. "MARGUERITE!"  
  
Challenger hung his head, feeling the man's grief through his yell. He knew this was it, the final nail in Lord John Roxton's coffin. There was no way he would be able to live with this burden piled upon all the others that he carried on his back.  
  
"John, I'm so sorry," Challenger said, tears of his own threatening to fall. He had become close to Marguerite over the years, as had everyone else. He almost felt as if she was his own daughter.  
  
"No! I refuse to except this!" Roxton shouted as he stood and ran towards Marguerite. "She's not dead!"  
  
Suddenly a blinding flash identical to the ones the night before tore through the clearing, blinding everyone again. When the light receded, all of the savage men were gone, as were the dead men that had littered the ground.  
  
"Bravo, Lord Roxton," Julian said, stepping from the bushes. Once again, no one had noticed her absence.  
  
"Just what in the hell are you talking about?!" he screamed at her.  
  
"Your greatest fear was losing the one you loved most to the same fate as your brother. You passed your test," Julian rose her arm and let her hand point across to where Marguerite lay alive with wide, scared eyes.  
  
"Oh... my... God..." Marguerite managed to say as she clutched her chest. She looked up at Roxton, tears threatening to spill from her eyes.  
  
Roxton dashed to her side, and he immediately pulled her fiercely into his arms. "Marguerite! Damnit, I... when I saw you... and I knew that I'd... I thought you were..."  
  
Marguerite shakily placed her finger to his lips to shush him. "No, John. You can't blame yourself for what just happened."  
  
"Marguerite's right, you should blame Julian!" Malone shouted.  
  
"I told you not to blame me for these things!" Julian exclaimed. "I did not chose for this to happen, it was Roxton's turn to face the Ultouma. Don't you understand by now?"  
  
"This is getting out of hand!" Challenger shouted.  
  
"I'm sorry, but I warned you," Julian replied.  
  
Roxton just held on tight to Marguerite, who in turn grasped onto him for dear life. Both were crying quietly, eyes shut as they reveled in the feel of each other.  
  
"You never warned us that there would be dangers like last night and today," Challenger countered. "You could have atleast given us some sort of an idea of what we'd be going up against!"  
  
"Once again, I apologize. You must realize though, no one can possibly know what will happen against the Ultouma. Everyone's greatest fear is different, the Ultouma just uses it to his advantage." Julian nodded towards Marguerite and Roxton. "He has fed, we will be safe for now."  
  
No one spoke a word, they just stepped back to allow Roxton and Marguerite their privacy. They knew that this, along with what had happened to Veronica the night before, was going to make things much worse for the remainder of their quest. They could do nothing but pray and hope that everyone would make it through the journey.  
  
~*~  
  
End part 6  
  
~*~  
  
Authors notes: Well, I'm not sure if that is really worthy to be part six, but I hope it turned out okay. I had been planning Roxton's fear for quite some time now, so I'm glad to finally get it out. I knew either he or Marguerite were going next (thanks to the lovely suggestions by my faithful reviewers), and Roxton just seemed to jump up and down and ask to go. Well, I'll try to get part seven out to you as soon as I can. Buh bye, now!  
  
~*~  
  
Possible questions answered in part 7...  
  
Who will be the next victim of the Ultouma?  
  
Why does Julian always seem to be gone when trouble arrives?  
  
Will Roxton recover from this ordeal, or will it truly break him?  
  
You'll have to read to find out... 


	7. Marguerite's Visions

~*~  
  
Disclaimer, etc. in part one  
  
~*~  
  
Authors notes: Wow, there are two reviewers out there who are VERY smart and have really predicted something that's going to happen in the story! I don't want to give away who it is because it'll spoil the story, but man... You guys are SMART! *grin* But anyway, once again you guys have made me feel so great with your reviews! I'm MORE than happy and proud to present FOUR CHAPTERS IN FOUR DAYS! YIPPEE!!! Audrey, your motivational skills strike again...  
  
veggie5 - I'll try to answer your question about passing the test in this chapter *g*)  
  
Alanna - "Zanga Mall"... *snickers*  
  
CrimsonCat - Thank you so much for your wonderful reviews on my past few chapters! Trust me, there will be plenty of M/R around the corner because I'm a BIG M/R fan. Plus, if you read the summary for the story, it's supposed to sorta center on their relationship *grin* Hey by the way, what does "Dai stiho" mean? I see it in all of your reviews...  
  
  
  
  
  
Mayhem Mountain (7/?)  
  
by: Brandy Leigh  
  
  
  
~*~  
  
Marguerite didn't know how it had happened, but somehow she had managed to find herself in the middle of the woods. She had no recollection of leaving the campsite, or better yet, Roxton's arms. The last she remembered she was lying comfortably in his embrace, enjoying the warmth emitting from his body. Nonetheless, there she was, alone in the dark without so much as a rifle.  
  
Frantically, she tried to get her barrings to figure out which way would lead her back to the others. Everything around her looked the same, each direction a tangled mass of trees and vines. It was nearly impossible to see anything in the dark of night, not to mention it was terribly unsafe.  
  
"Roxton!" she shouted into the darkness. "Veronica! Challenger?" Getting no response, she cursed under her breath. "Damnit, where is everyone? Hello!"  
  
With a frustrated sigh, Marguerite turned full circle to see if anything at all looked familiar. Once she had turned, there was a soft rustle of leaves behind her. Spinning back around with wide, panicked eyes, she called out again.  
  
"Hey, who's there? Malone, is that you? If this is some sort of joke, I swear..."  
  
She was rewarded by complete and utter silence. It was then she realize just how alone she really felt. There was no noise around her whatsoever, not even a cricket or a bird. It was way too quiet for something not to be wrong.  
  
As if you confirm her suspicions, the rustling returned. This time it seemed louder, closer. Before Marguerite could spin around to see what it was, something large and grey exploded from the trees. Not even allowing her time to run, the creature landed directly on top of her. It was a bloody heavy thing, perched on her chest nearly cutting off her air supply.  
  
Marguerite struggled to push the beast off of her, but to no avail. She looked up into it's yellow eyes which seemed to almost glow in the moonlight. It almost seemed to smirk as if it knew that it was causing her breaths to become less frequent by sitting where it was.  
  
"Get off me, you beast!" she cried, pushing against it with all of your strength.  
  
The creature just bared it's teeth in a ear piercing growl, then lowered it's face until it was just centimeters from Marguerite's. The stench of it's breath almost suffocated her worse than it's weight, and she fought back the urge to vomit. She knew that if she didn't do something right away, she would surely be dinner for this monstrosity.  
  
"Roxton!" she screamed weakly, for the beast was quickly draining any strength she had left. "For the love of God, help me!"  
  
Suddenly, she heard it. His voice.  
  
"Marguerite!" It was Roxton, and he'd come to rescue her.  
  
"Oh God... Roxton!"  
  
But he could not get to her, for another breast much like the one on top of her burst forth from the trees. It tackled him, throwing him to the ground. The last thing she remembered seeing was the beast lowering it's head, opening it's mouth wide. Then, she heard Roxton scream.  
  
Marguerite awoke with a small shout, sitting straight up in the tent she was sharing with Roxton. She looked around frantically, trying to find the beast which had had her pinned to the ground. She couldn't see it but she knew it was there. She was shaking with fear, glancing around like a lost little child.  
  
"Marguerite! Calm down, it's okay! It was just a dream," Roxton said soothingly. He had awakened when Marguerite jumped up from his arms shouting.  
  
Marguerite looked down at him with wide, frightened eyes. She couldn't believe that once again she had been tricked into thinking that her dream was reality. She was actually quite glad that Roxton had decided to wake her this time, for this was one dream she wished she had never had.  
  
"Oh God," Marguerite muttered as she slumped back against Roxton.  
  
Wrapping a protective arm around her, Roxton smoothed back a few damp strands of hair from her face. He noticed that she was shaking and her chest was heaving as she breathed heavily with short gasps. Whatever she had been dreaming about had truly frightened her.  
  
"Are you okay?" he asked softly.  
  
"Yes, I'm fine," she lied, but her emotions deceived her and she buried her head in his chest with a sob.  
  
"Hey, shh, it's okay," Roxton said as he stroked her back. "Everything's alright now, it was just a silly old dream."  
  
"No it wasn't just a silly old dream!" Marguerite exclaimed. "Some crazed beast was killing you and I couldn't do a damn thing about it!"  
  
Roxton sighed and pulled back from her so that he could look her in the eyes. He gave her a reassuring smile before trying to calm her down. He was always good at making her feel better when she had nightmares, which is why she ended up spending most of her nights asleep in his room.  
  
"You're just worked up from all the excitement we've had the past couple of days. It's enough to drive anyone to nightmares," he told her.  
  
"But it felt so real," she said quietly. Roxton had never seen her this vulnerable.  
  
"I know, love. But trust me, nothing's going to happen. I'm right here, and I'm not going anywhere."  
  
Marguerite just nodded slightly and placed her head back on his chest. She just wanted to feel the comfort of being in his arms. She knew that as long as she stayed there, everything would be alright. Nothing could get to them as long as they were together.  
  
When morning arrived, the two found themselves wrapped up in each other's arms. Neither one of them wanted to move for fear of breaking the safety of each other's presence, but before long Challenger was calling for them to come out and get breakfast. Reluctantly, they pulled away from one another.  
  
"How are you feeling?" Roxton asked Marguerite before they exited the tent.  
  
"I'm okay now," she said with a small smile.  
  
Roxton nodded slightly, then brought his hand up and softly placed it over her chest where the bullet wound had been just the night before. A look of sadness passed over his face, and he bent down to softly kiss the area. Marguerite just sighed and looked into his eyes when he glanced up at her.  
  
"It wasn't your fault, John," she said quietly.  
  
"I still feel responsible," he told her.  
  
Marguerite just leaned down and let her lips softly graze against his. He sighed deeply and eagerly deepened the kiss, pulling her close to him. She wrapped her arms around his neck, grateful for the chance to share such a moment with him.  
  
"Come on you two, breakfast is getting cold," Challenger called form outside their tent.  
  
Marguerite groaned with frustration as Roxton pulled away, and he lightly touched her cheek with a smile.  
  
"Later," he promised.  
  
She nodded her head and reluctantly removed her arms from around his neck. With a sigh, she opened the tent and greeted the blinding light of the morning sun.  
  
"Glad to see you two have decided to join us," Veronica said with a smile as she slid two plates across to them.  
  
"Eat well," Julian told them. "We have a long day ahead of us."  
  
Marguerite narrowed her eyes at the girl, now becoming immensely annoyed by her presence. Here she was, a guest who ran into their home practically begging them for help, and she was bossing them around like she was in charge of them all. It made her sick.  
  
Julian looked up and caught Marguerite glaring at her. She smiled in return, and nodded her head. Marguerite just snorted and looked away, not wanting to give her the satisfaction of knowing that she was getting her all worked up.  
  
Once breakfast was eaten and everything was packed, the group once again set out towards the mountain. It seemed the closer they got, the further away they actually appeared to be. It was quite baffling, and no one could quite understand it.  
  
"How much further?" Malone asked once they had traveled for quite some distance.  
  
"I am not sure, it's hard to tell," Julian replied.  
  
"Well I don't know about you guys, but I could use a break," Malone said warily.  
  
"You and me both," Marguerite said as she let her pack drop from her back.  
  
"Well I guess that settles it," Roxton said, lowering his pack to the ground also. "We'll take a quick break."  
  
Marguerite sat down on a boulder on the side of the trail they were traveling on and turned her aching neck from side to side. She wanted nothing more than to turn around right then and head back towards the treehouse. She could sure use a nice bath at the spring and then a relaxing evening listening to one of their records on the balcony.  
  
After a few moments, memories of her dream the night before came rushing back to her. This time an unknown beast wasn't the culprit of the vision, but a hungry raptor was hovering over her in it's place. She was pinned to her spot on the ground, she couldn't move for fear that it would lash out at her.  
  
Back in reality Marguerite let out a slight whimper. Roxton looked over at her and realized that she was as pale as a ghost and was staring out into nothingness. She was trembling with fright much as she had been when she awoke from her nightmare last night, and Roxton was sure that she was having some sort of a relapse.  
  
"Marguerite?" he said as he knelt down in front of her. He looked straight into her eyes but it was almost as if she was looking through him. "Hey, can you hear me?"  
  
Roxton brought a hand up to her arm and stroked it gently. He didn't know what was bringing this on and it was actually starting to scare him.  
  
"Marguerite, listen to me. I need you to focus, okay?" he said softly. "It's me, Roxton. Come on, let me know you can hear me."  
  
By now the others had begun to catch on to what was happening and Challenger came up behind him with a worried look on his face.  
  
"What's going on?" he asked.  
  
"I don't bloody know, Challenger. It's as if she's in some sort of a trance," Roxton replied with more than a tinge of worry in his voice.  
  
Challenger knelt down in front of her as well and peered into her eyes.  
  
"It's as if she's not seeing us, but rather something inside of her mind," he said.  
  
"Well I think that's pretty obvious," Roxton stated angrily.  
  
Suddenly Marguerite yelled out in fear and began to collapse. Roxton managed to catch her just in time before she fell to the ground. He pulled her to him and wrapped his arms around her, looking down to see if she was conscious. Her eyes were squeezed shut and she was clutching on to him for dear life.  
  
"What the hell is happening to her, George?" Roxton asked frantically.  
  
"I don't know, John. She must be trapped in some sort of vision."  
  
"No, I..." Marguerite said softly, slightly pulling away from Roxton. "I'm okay."  
  
"Are you sure? What happened?" Veronica asked softly as she offered her some water.  
  
Marguerite graciously took it and drank a few sips before handing it back to the younger woman.  
  
"My dream," Marguerite said, looking up at Roxton. "It was back, but it was different."  
  
Roxton sighed, and he and the others listened to Marguerite tell them about her vision. None of them noticed Julian off in the distance, grinning from ear to ear.  
  
~*~  
  
End part seven  
  
~*~  
  
Authors notes: AH! A FILLER CHAPTER! EVIL! Well, this was just my pathetic attempt to get out another chapter by the end of the day... but I failed miserably. It's after midnight, WAAAAAH! Can we still could it as four chapters in four days? Pwease? I'll reward you by a very good next chapter, I promise! Anywho, review, review, review! It's the only way I can know if I'm forgiven for the delay and the *gasp* filler chapter!  
  
~*~  
  
Possible questions answered in part 8...  
  
What are the cause of Marguerites dreams and visions?  
  
What is Julian up to now with her bloody evil self?  
  
AHA! Now you know why Marguerite is so familiar with Roxton's room! AHA! Okay, I promise I'll go into more detail soon... *g*  
  
You'll have to read to get the low down, yo... 


	8. Into The Abyss

Introducing the NEW typo free chapter eight...  
  
~*~  
  
Disclaimer, etc. in part one  
  
~*~  
  
Authors notes: I have been informed that I hold the record for updating a continuous story!!! *jumps up and down grinning like an idiot* Haha anyway... Okay, so part seven pretty much sucked. Everyone has one of them days, right? Well, this one isn't really much better and still doesn't have much action, but it's mushy! God, I need to get some more action back up in this piece. Oh and... FIVE CHAPTERS IN FIVE DAYS! YAHOO!!!  
  
veggie5 & Audrey:  
  
Roxton sighed and pulled back from her so that he could look her in the eyes. He gave her a reassuring smile before trying to calm her down. He was always good at making her feel better when she had nightmares, which is why she ended up spending most of her nights asleep in his room.  
  
Yeah I know, lame explanation. But trust me, more went on than just cuddling! *evil grin* I PROMISE they'll be flashback scenes or something close to it before this story is over!  
  
Jaclyn and chapeau - You little devils, you! You two had very good guesses... read to find out!  
  
  
  
  
  
Mayhem Mountain (8/?)  
  
by: Brandy Leigh  
  
  
  
~*~  
  
Marguerite continued to suffer from her visions as the day went on, each one getting more and more vivid and lasting for a longer period of time. By the end of the day she was a total wreck and wouldn't let anyone but Roxton go near her. She had clung to him for dear life for much of the day, and everyone was quite worried for they had never seen her quite so upset.  
  
Veronica had begun to notice that Julian seemed rather happy of late and was starting to wonder if maybe this latest development didn't have something to do with her. She sure had seem satisfied to know that Marguerite was suffering, and it would only prove to be valid sense the two of them didn't get along too well.  
  
While everyone was beginning to set up camp for the evening once again, Veronica decided to confront Challenger with her suspicions.  
  
"You know," she said once she and Challenger were alone, "Julian doesn't seem bothered by Marguerite's condition."  
  
"Well it doesn't surprise me," Challenger told her. "Marguerite hasn't exactly been friendly with our guest."  
  
"And Julian hasn't exactly been friendly with her, or any of us for that matter. I'm really starting to suspect that there's something she's not telling us. Something's not right."  
  
"Oh I wouldn't worry about it, Veronica. I'm sure everything is going to be just fine," he said with a reassuring smile, although he wasn't sure if he was reassuring Veronica or himself.  
  
Veronica just sighed and shook her head. "I hope you're right, Challenger. I don't think we can afford for anything to go wrong out here."  
  
Challenger patted her shoulder lightly then went on to help the others get dinner started. He was having the same doubts as Veronica, but now certainly wasn't the time for false accusations. They couldn't turn on each other now or they might not make it through Maschou Monso. Truth be told, they needed Julian to see this through to the end.  
  
"Any new visions?" Challenger asked Marguerite after dinner as he sat down in front of her. He was in full doctor mode now and intended to do his best to figure her illness out.  
  
"Not since the last one about an hour ago," she told him.  
  
"Which is a good thing," Roxton said, a protective arm wrapped around her waist. "That last one really had me frightened."  
  
"Had you frightened?" Marguerite asked incredulously. "I thought I was going to die!"  
  
Challenger just smiled. "But you didn't and that's all the matters, hmm?"  
  
"Yes I suppose," she replied. She just leaned her head on Roxton's shoulder and tried to relax.  
  
"That a girl," Challenger said. "Get some rest. I'm sure you'll feel much better in the morning." With that, he walked over and entered his tent.  
  
"As long as I don't have any more nightmares," Marguerite muttered.  
  
"Well if you do, I'll be right there beside you when you wake up," Roxton told her softly.  
  
Marguerite smiled up at him and snuggled closer. 'What did I ever do to deserve this man?' she thought to herself. 'I don't know what I'd ever do without him...'  
  
Later that night while everyone was asleep, Marguerite began to have another nightmare. She tossed and turned, reaching blindly for Roxton in her sleep. The dream got worse, far worse than any of her previous visions. She let out a loud scream as she continued to suffer from the terrifying images, running through the forest in her sleep. The carnage, the death...  
  
Finally, when she thought she could take no more, Marguerite awoke. She stared with wide eyes at the ceiling of the tent, trying to catch her breath. When she thought she was calm enough to maneuver without passing out, she turned over to find out why Roxton hadn't tried to wake her from her dream. It was then that she realized Roxton was gone.  
  
"Roxton?" she asked shakily, managing to pull herself into a sitting position. She was greeted by silence.  
  
Pushing herself forward to the opening of the tent, Marguerite peered out. She thought that maybe Roxton had gone for a walk or something of the sort and that was why he hadn't been by her side when she awoke. She didn't see him anywhere.  
  
"John?" She asked the darkness. "For heaven's sake, where are you?"  
  
She looked all through the campsite, behind the tents, past the edge of the trees. She frantically called his name over and over again, and before long the rest of the campsite was awake and groaning. They figured she was only suffering from one of her visions again, but nonetheless they each exited their tent to see what was going on.  
  
"What the devil is going on Marguerite?" Challenger asked.  
  
"Yeah, you're going to attract every predator within range," Malone grunted.  
  
"Roxton, he's gone!" she shouted, nearly out of breath from her search.  
  
"What are you talking about?" Challenger asked.  
  
"I had another nightmare, and when I woke up he wasn't in the tent. I can't find him anywhere!"  
  
"Alright, calm down," Veronica said, placing a soothing hand on her arm. "He's got to be around here somewhere."  
  
"Yes, but where?" Marguerite asked, getting more and more hysterical by the minute.  
  
"Roxton!" Malone shouted, walking around the campsite a bit. "Hey, Roxton, can you hear us?"  
  
"We have to go look for him," Marguerite said as she ran back into her tent to grab her rife. She grimly noticed that Roxton's rifle was still there, unattended. She grabbed it and slung it over her shoulder, then headed back out of the tent.  
  
"Come on, who's going with me?" she asked.  
  
"We can't go looking for him while it's still dark out," Veronica told her. "It's too dangerous."  
  
"Oh, and leaving him all alone out there isn't?"  
  
"Veronica's right," Malone said. "We should wait until the morning."  
  
"You wait, I'm going to find him. I'm not about to leave him out there all night for some hungry dinosaur to have for a midnight snack. I'm going, with or without your help."  
  
Challenger sighed. He knew there was no way to stop her from looking, so he reluctantly grabbed his own rifle.  
  
"What are you doing?" Veronica asked.  
  
"I'm going with her, I can't let her go out there alone," he replied.  
  
"I'm going too," Malone said, running back to his tent to get his own weapon.  
  
"This is insane," Veronica stated, making sure she had all her daggers with her. If they were going, she was going too.  
  
"This whole damn quest is insane," Marguerite said angrily, already heading towards the trees.  
  
"Someone get Julian," Challenger said, right behind her.  
  
"No need," Malone said grimly. "She's gone too."  
  
"What?!" Marguerite asked, spinning back around.  
  
"Her tent's empty."  
  
"Why that wretched little bitch, I bet she's gone off and taken Roxton with her! God only knows what she's going to him by now! I knew we should have trusted that twirp!" Marguerite exploded.  
  
"Calm down, Marguerite!" Challenger exclaimed. "I'm sure Roxton's fine."  
  
"I'll believe it when I see it," she almost growled as she turned and stalked off into the woods.  
  
"Bloody hell," Challenger muttered as he followed off after her, Malone and Veronica close behind.  
  
"Anything?" Veronica asked after they'd been looking for quite some time.  
  
"Not a damn thing. It's like he just disappeared," Malone said, beginning to get frustrated.  
  
"Well I'm not giving up until I find him," Marguerite replied. She was nearly out of energy, but still she pushed on.  
  
"You know, he might be back at the campsite, Marguerite. We should turn back and see if he's back there," Challenger said.  
  
"Challenger's right," Veronica told her. "If he's not there we can search the woods on the other side of the campsite. Now that it's almost light we'll have a better chance to see what's around us."  
  
Marguerite let out a reluctant sigh. "Alright," she said. "Let's go back."  
  
The four of them headed back to the campsite but were greeted by nothing but tents. There was still no sign of Roxton, or Julian for that matter. It was as if the two of them had literally dropped off the face of the earth. There weren't even so much as a footprint to lead them to believe that either of them had walked off sometime in the middle of the night.  
  
Marguerite sat down heavily onto one of the logs around where the fire had been burning the previous evening. She pulled Roxton's rifle from her shoulder and looked down at it with a small smile. She fondly ran her hand over the engraving of his initials, then noticed something she had never noticed before. Tucked underneath the trigger, almost where no one could see it, were the initials M.K.R.  
  
"Marguerite Krux Roxton," she said softly as her eyes welled up.  
  
The carving was deep and fresh. Marguerite figured he must have carved that there recently, most likely within the past few days. She just clutched the rifle to her chest, clinging to it like it was her last ray of hope. She knew he was out there, he just had to be.  
  
"Hey, what's wrong?" Veronica asked as she sat down beside her.  
  
"Oh, nothing," Marguerite lied.  
  
"Liar," Veronica said with a small smile.  
  
Marguerite managed a small smile and said, "I just realized something that should have been obvious, that's all."  
  
"What's that?" Veronica asked.  
  
Marguerite showed her the carving in Roxton's rifle then very quietly said, "He loves me just as much as I love him."  
  
Veronica looked up at her, wide eyed. Never in her wildest dreams would she ever imagine Marguerite admitting that she loved Roxton. She knew it was true for she could see it everyday, but hearing her admit it was a shock to the system. It also made Roxton's disappearance a harder situation to digest.  
  
"We'll find him, Marguerite. I promise," was all the younger woman could offer.  
  
Marguerite just smiled and hugged the rifle closer. She looked out over the trees and sighed. "Where are you, John?" she whispered to the wind.  
  
Meanwhile, off in the middle of eternal abyss, Lord John Roxton was coming to know the true meaning of being alone. Around him was complete nothingness, to the full extent of the word. There was no light, there was no darkness. There was no up nor was there down. There was no sight, sound, or touch. There was only existence. Roxton assumed this was how it much have been before God created Earth.  
  
'Where the hell am I?' he thought to himself. It was strange to not have the ability to speak. It was something he never truly appreciated until it was gone.  
  
'Ah, Lord Roxton. Yet another one of your ignorant questions,' came an evilly familiar voice.  
  
'Julian! Why you little-'  
  
'Tsk, tsk. Such words from a gentleman!' Julian scolded.  
  
'Just tell me what's going on or so help me God-'  
  
'You'll do what? You're not exactly in the position to be making empty threats.'  
  
'Just tell me!'  
  
'Fine, fine... spoil all my fun. Won't even feed my hunger and now you're demanding answers!' Julian shouted.  
  
'Your hunger?'  
  
'You're not afraid, are you?'  
  
'Why, no I'm...' Roxton trailed off as his thoughts drifted to a conversation had days before...  
  
"The Chucahna need no food to survive, they are predators that feed on the fear of the innocent..."  
  
'Oh my God...' Roxton thought.  
  
'I see you've wrapped your inferior little mind around what I've said and discovered my true identity haven't you?' Julian said as she grinned that wicked grin of hers.  
  
'You're the Ultouma!'  
  
'Score one for the home team, good man!'  
  
'Damnit, Marguerite was right, she knew something was wrong. I should have listened to her!'  
  
'That she was. And now, she suffers my wrath.'  
  
'What have you done to her?' Roxton asked angrily, his thoughts on the edge of a growl.  
  
'I've made her visions and nightmares increase to an almost unbearable rate, it's truly lovely! Not to mention she's now currently suffering her most delightful greatest fear.' Julian said almost gleefully.  
  
'Her greatest fear?'  
  
'Life without you.'  
  
'Life without me? That's her greatest fear?' Roxton asked, astonished.  
  
'Why yes, you didn't know? Oh that's right, the two of you play your little mind games and pretend there's nothing between you. Get a clue Roxton, the woman loves you with her entire being! As far as I can tell from where I've invaded her mind, she's never felt this way about anyone. She's never exactly had the ability to trust until she met you,' Julian explained.  
  
'I... I have to get back to her," Roxton said frantically.  
  
'No can do," Julian replied. "This is Marguerite's fear, and until she passes her test you're not going anywhere.'  
  
'You never actually explained what you mean by passing the test, what exactly does she have to do?'  
  
'Ah, the test. I'm so glad you asked! In order for someone to pass the test, they have to be worthy. They have to have a pure soul, and I do believe that your believe your beloved Marguerite has quite the tainted soul.'  
  
Roxton managed the equivalent of a gulp and asked, 'And just what will happen if she fails?'  
  
'When she fails,' Julian corrected, 'her fear will become permanent.'  
  
'What will happen to me?'  
  
'My dear Roxton, you will be lost here forever.'  
  
~*~  
  
End part eight  
  
~*~  
  
Authors notes: Whew! Okay, there we go. Part eight is complete, and it was a rather hard chapter to write! Not only did I have to fill in all the holes with what's going with Marguerite and why Julian is being such a you know what, I attempted to answer some questions about the test (AND throw in some M/R!). Sooo... anyway, I hope I answered your questions and also managed to bring ya'll a worthy chapter!  
  
~*~  
  
Possible questions answered in part 9...  
  
Will Marguerite pass her test, or is Roxton lost forever?  
  
Will the others realize Julian is the Ultouma before it's too late?  
  
What does Julian have planned for Challenger and Veronica?  
  
You'll have to read to find out... 


	9. Beauty and the Beast

~*~  
  
Disclaimer, etc. in part one  
  
~*~  
  
Authors notes: *Grins evilly* Yes, I am evil, and so is Julian! Very good job to all of you who guessed correctly! So yeah, I know, I messed up my streak. I needed a break, yo! But that's okay, because there will always be another chance to get six in six! I'm sure I'll have to wait until my next story though, because I doubt this one will have that many chapters left... But you never know!  
  
Audrey - I've already put it in a chapter, hehe... Check chapter seven when Marguerite woke up from the first dream. Right after she says, "No it wasn't just a silly old dream!" But like I said, be on the look out for a farther explanation and some good flashback scenes. I might have to make it into a fic of it's own! Hmm... I think I will!  
  
And to all of you giving me great suggestions on how Julian should die... you will all be rewarded soon! *hint hint* hehe...  
  
  
  
  
  
Mayhem Mountain (9/?)  
  
by: Brandy Leigh  
  
  
  
~*~  
  
Marguerite watched the late night campfire as it burned, almost mesmerized. No matter how hard she tried, her mind kept drifting back to Roxton. There had been many attempts to get him off of her mind, but she was starting to think it was near impossible. All she could do was sit silently and wonder what he was doing and if he was thinking about her wherever he may be. Was he even alive?  
  
Marguerite stopped that train of thought as soon as it began. She knew if she started to worry about weather or not Roxton was alive she would become a nervous wreck. But perhaps that was the whole purpose of his disappearance. It was obvious Julian was with him wherever he was, so maybe, just maybe... her fear.  
  
"Malone!" she suddenly shouted, jumping up from her spot beside the fire.  
  
As it happened, Malone was the only other one still with them that had faced his fear. If this truly was a test of Marguerite's courage, than maybe Malone would know what to do.  
  
"Wake up, Malone!" she shouted as she whacked the side of his tent.  
  
"What?" Malone asked groggily. He and Veronica had both decided to make it a night rather early and he was practically dead asleep.  
  
"Get out here right now!" Marguerite shouted at him, whacking the tent again, this time connecting with his head.  
  
"Alright already!" Malone yelled back, pulling himself out of the arms of Veronica, who was now wide awake.  
  
"What does she want?" Veronica muttered.  
  
"I have no idea," Malone grumbled back as he pushed his way out of the front of the tent.  
  
"What is it?" he asked Marguerite impatiently.  
  
"I think I know what happened to Roxton," she told him, hope shinning bright in her eyes.  
  
"Really?" Malone asked, a little ashamed for lashing out at her.  
  
"I think... I think it might have something to do with my greatest fear."  
  
"What are you talking about?" Veronica asked as she stuck her head out of the tent.  
  
"Well, just yesterday I was thinking about how afraid I was that Roxton might... abandon me."  
  
"Abandon you?" Malone asked, clueless.  
  
Veronica sighed and pulled herself out of the tent. She led Marguerite over to one of the logs that were placed around the campfire and sat down. Marguerite sat down next to her and looked over at her with questioning eyes.  
  
"Marguerite, Roxton would never abandon you. He loves you too much for that," Veronica told her.  
  
"But what if he had no choice in it? What if because of my fear he's been taken away?" Marguerite asked quietly.  
  
"You mean by the Ultouma," Malone said as he sat down across from them.  
  
"No, Santa Claus," Marguerite said sarcastically, giving him a look.  
  
"Well, if that's the case, then I guess we just have to wait it out. He'll be returned as soon as this whole test of yours is over, just like you and I were," Veronica told her.  
  
"Which brings me to why I woke you up, Malone. How do I do this? How do I finish my test and get Roxton back?"  
  
"I don't know, Marguerite. It just sort of ended once Veronica was..." Malone trailed off, not wanting to dredge up the memory.  
  
"Dead," Veronica finished for him. "Once I was dead, I came back. The same thing happened to you. Maybe that's the key."  
  
"You mean Roxton has to die?" Marguerite asked, suddenly rather panicked.  
  
"I don't know, your fear is much different than his or Ned's. Both of theirs ended with an unstoppable death, which was cause for a quick end. We have no way of knowing how to make your fear end," Veronica said.  
  
"Then there's no hope," Marguerite said quietly, looking down at her hands. Tears were quickly forming in her eyes.  
  
"Of course there's hope," Malone said, trying to sound optimistic. "There's always hope."  
  
"I told you," Veronica said, placing a reassuring hand on her arm. "We'll find him, no matter what it takes."  
  
Marguerite just nodded slowly, wiping the burning tears from her cheeks.  
  
'You have to let me go to her,' Roxton thought towards Julian.  
  
Roxton was being allowed to watch Marguerite through a mental link, but was unable to speak to her or communicate with her in any way shape or form. That was the only price... to watch her suffer alone.  
  
'No,' Julian said.  
  
'Atleast let me tell her I'm alright and that I didn't abandon her!' Roxton shouted.  
  
'You know the rules,' Julian said sternly. 'You cannot communicate with her.'  
  
'Then take her a message,' Roxton said frantically. 'Go to her and tell her I'm alive and that I'm going to get back to her somehow. Tell her she just has to hold on and work through this damn test of yours.'  
  
'Why should I?' Julian asked, obvious not impressed by his blabbering.  
  
'Don't you have any sort of conscious? A heart?'  
  
'I'm afraid not, Roxton. I have no feelings other than hunger, and I will do whatever I can to feed that hunger.'  
  
'Please, Julian. Just go to her and tell her... tell her that I love her. It's all I ask,' Roxton pleaded.  
  
'Again, why should I? You have given me no reason to do this for you,' Julian replied.  
  
'I need her to know!'  
  
'She knows, Roxton. She knows.'  
  
Roxton just hung his head, knowing that his efforts were moot. He wanted nothing more than to hold Marguerite in his arms and tell her himself. He wanted to kiss her soft lips and never stop. He wanted to be with her forever, and never let go.  
  
'Your feelings for her... they're eternal,' Julian said suddenly, almost amazed. 'You love her more than your own life!'  
  
'You're damn right I do!' Roxton shouted at her.  
  
Julian sighed, nodding. 'Very well, I'll take her your message. But Roxton, she will fail this test. I know it. I've seen stronger than her fall to their knees by my wrath.'  
  
'She. Will. Not. Fail.' Roxton said, accenting every word.  
  
Julian just sighed, slowly fading away into the nothingness of the abyss. When she rematerialized, she was standing just feet away from a very distressed Marguerite.  
  
"Marguerite."  
  
At the sound of her name, Marguerite jumped up and spun around. She saw the girl standing there and noticed something she hadn't noticed before. Since before this crusade began, Julian had grown atleast a foot. Before she only stood to Marguerite's shoulders, now she was almost taller.  
  
"Julian! Where the hell have you been? Where's Roxton? So help me God-"  
  
"He sent me to you with a message," Julian said calmly.  
  
"How do we know you're telling the truth?" Veronica asked, standing at Marguerite's side protectively.  
  
"Yeah," Malone said from her other side. "You haven't exactly been honest with us the whole time we've been helping you."  
  
"I've been completely honest with you," Julian said, sounding offended.  
  
"Bullshit!" Marguerite shouted.  
  
Veronica and Malone looked over at Marguerite rather shocked. They'd both heard her rant and rave and tear into each and every one of them without a single bit of hesitation, but never once had they heard her use such language.  
  
"You've been a filthy little liar from the beginning," Marguerite said, voice low with anger. "Don't think for a second that I don't know who you are!"  
  
"Why whatever do you mean?" Julian asked with a smirk.  
  
"You know exactly what I mean."  
  
"What are you talking about?" Veronica asked her.  
  
"Our little Julian here," Marguerite said, not taking her eyes away from Julian, "is the Ultouma."  
  
"What?" Malone asked, wishing he had his rifle with him.  
  
"I knew it," Veronica said, pulling her daggers. "I knew it all along."  
  
"Come now," Julian said with a grin. "No need to get hostile. How ever would you save Lord Roxton?"  
  
Marguerite grew tense, stepping closer to Julian. "Bring him back," she said, voice so full of anger even Veronica and Malone took a step back.  
  
"Only you can do that, Marguerite. I'm only here to give you a message, and then I must be off."  
  
"Then give it to me."  
  
As the four of them stood there, a slight breeze began to blow. It whipped through the trees and brushed across Marguerite's shoulders, continuing on to capture everyone. As it blew past, they could all hear something within it, something almost human. The wind grew stronger, and finally the words became clear and Roxton's voice could be heard. It echoed throughout the valley as the wind continued to caress them.  
  
'Please, Julian. Just go to her and tell her... tell her that I love her. It's all I ask.'  
  
"Oh John," Marguerite said quietly, tears once again forming in her eyes.  
  
"Enjoy your message, Marguerite, for it's the last time you'll ever heard his voice!" Julian cackled.  
  
"No!" Marguerite shouted.  
  
"Oh yes, I'm afraid so. Because my dear, you have failed your test. Your soul is as impure as the devil himself!"  
  
"Shut up!"  
  
Julian just continued to laugh as the wind around them continued to swirl. It picked up speed, getting so harsh that everyone but Julian was beginning to find it difficult to stand. Marguerite covered her eyes, suddenly very afraid of what was about to happen. Yet to everyone's surprise, especially Julian's, a bright light flashed throughout the campsite.  
  
"No! It's impossible!" Julian screamed as she stumbled back.  
  
"Oh it's very possible, I assure you," came a very familiar voice.  
  
As the light faded and the wind died, a very handsome John Roxton stood before them grinning like an idiot.  
  
"JOHN!" Marguerite shouted, making a mad dash for him. As she threw herself into his arms, all he could do was hug her back.  
  
"Hey you," he said with a chuckle.  
  
"Oh God, I was so worried," she said, choking back a sob.  
  
"Well if it means anything, I knew you'd pass your test. I had faith in you, Marguerite."  
  
Marguerite just smiled and held him closer, fully intending to never let him go again.  
  
All the commotion within the campsite awoke Challenger, who had slept through most of the excitement and was now quite behind in the situation. He emerged from his tent and looked around, confused. The only thing he knew for certain was that Roxton had returned, and Julian looked quite angry.  
  
"What the devil is going on?" he muttered sleepily.  
  
"Julian tried to keep Roxton from Marguerite, but he came back!" Malone shouted excitedly.  
  
"Why would Julian do that?" he asked, somewhat shocked.  
  
"She's the Ultouma," Veronica said pointedly. "I told you something wasn't right."  
  
"Well uh, yes," Challenger said, somewhat embarrassed. "But it seems that true love prevailed after all, hmm?"  
  
"As it usually does," Malone said with a slight smile.  
  
Julian just stood there, fuming. She turned to Marguerite and Roxton and screamed, "How?! I had you, I did!"  
  
"You had nothing," Roxton told her. "You never did."  
  
"So what happens next?" Veronica asked. "Now that Roxton is back, what's your next move?"  
  
"You and Challenger face your fears," Julian said, still fuming.  
  
"I'm sure that if she and I faced our fears it wouldn't lead to your demise as you so stated once before. What's the point of this whole game?" Challenger asked.  
  
"Game?" Julian asked furiously. "This is no game!"  
  
"Call it what you want," Roxton said angrily, still holding on to Marguerite. "Just answer the damn question."  
  
"If I must," Julian sighed. "As you have so unfortunately figured out, I am the Ultouma. I am the great Chucahna King and I rule all those who serve me."  
  
As Julian spoke she began to transform from the lovely girl they first knew he as to the ugly demon she really was. Before everyone's eyes, Julian changed into the ugly beast from Marguerite's dreams. The collected fear of the plateau had been manifested.  
  
"I proceeded to deceive you all so that I may have a feast of fears. I needed to feed, to quench this thirst that has so unmercifully been placed within me!" the beast screeched.  
  
"You've feed quite enough," Marguerite said, not even the least bit afraid. "You've haunted me in my dreams for the past two days, and you've haunted us all for the past week. You've done enough here, just leave us be!"  
  
"Oh I'm so sorry, have I bothered you?" the beast asked, rising to it's full height above the explorers.  
  
"What do we do now?" Malone asked, staring up at what was formerly Julian, mouth agape.  
  
"I have no idea," Challenger replied, just as astonished.  
  
"Well we have to do something!" Veronica yelled, rushing towards the beast with her daggers ready.  
  
"No, Veronica!" Malone shouted, trying to grab her. It was too late, she was out of reach.  
  
"Yesssss," the Ultouma hissed as it saw Veronica running toward it. "Come, my child. Feed me!"  
  
"Veronica!" Marguerite shouted as she passed. She pulled from Roxton and lunged for her, but just like Malone she wasn't fast enough.  
  
Veronica continued to run closer to the Ultouma, almost possessed. She stopped mere feet in front of the hideous creature and looked up at it with wide eyes. It was as if she was suddenly released from her trance and had begun to realize her predicament.  
  
"Damn," she muttered, trying to back away.  
  
The Ultouma grinned, which was a disgusting sight on such a wicked creature. It reared it's head back and threw all of it's weight forward, knocking Veronica into the nearest tree. The tree cracked with the force of the blow and toppled over.  
  
"Uhn..." Veronica moaned as pain filled her body. She tried to move her arm but an unbearable stab of pain shot all the way up from her elbow to her neck. "Ah!"  
  
"Veronica!" Malone shouted, making his way over to her.  
  
"Mmmmnot so fast," the Ultouma growled, stepping between him and his destination.  
  
"Damnit!"  
  
The Ultouma laughed and stared down at all of the explorers below. It took great pleasure in seeing Roxton holding Marguerite back and away from harm, Veronica down and nearly unconscious, Malone attempting to save her with really no chance, and Challenger... gone.  
  
"What?" the Ultouma screamed, realizing it's mistake. It looked around angrily but couldn't find what it was looking for. It had forgotten all about Challenger and let him escape. "No!"  
  
Malone realized what the beast had and grinned. "Looks like your little plan is about to get a big kick in the ass," he said.  
  
"I will not be defeated!" it shouted. "I will NOT!"  
  
With that, the Ultouma ran off into the jungle, leaving the four of them alone. Once it was gone, Malone ran over to Veronica and knelt down beside her. He began to pull her to him, stopping when she yelled out in pain.  
  
"What, what is it?" he asked, afraid.  
  
"My arm," she said through gritted teeth. "It's broken."  
  
"Damnit, where's Challenger when you need him?"  
  
"Off finding a way to save us, I hope," Roxton said as he and Marguerite made their way over.  
  
"What do we do until then?" Marguerite asked, looking down at Veronica with a worried expression.  
  
"We pray."  
  
~*~  
  
End part nine  
  
~*~  
  
Authors notes: I was going to continue on with Challenger's fear next, but 'The Elixir' really took the fun out of it. I didn't want to look like I was ripping TLW off so I decided to leave it out and continue on to the next part. So basically Challenger and Veronica are off the hook... for now. No one said there couldn't be a sequel! I guess I should actually finish this story before I worry about a sequel, huh? And I still have to write that M/R story for all of you, don't I? Hmm... By the way, did anyone see the previews for next weeks episode? *Runs around like a chicken with it's head cut off, screaming* AHHHHHHHHH! I can't wait!!! 


	10. Ray of Hope

~*~  
  
Disclaimer, etc. in part one  
  
~*~  
  
Authors notes: Well guys, it's official- I'm a total disappointment! I took what, a week to get you part ten? And I warn you, it's very short... *sniffle* I sowwie! But really, I've been working it and reworking it and I just can't get it the way I want it. So today I pretty much said screw it, it gets posted as is. There was going to be much more but hey, things don't always go as planned! *grin* Anyway, here's part ten and some nice little notes to my faithful reviewers! (P.s. My personal a/ns are totally outdated because I originally wrote them the day before Tapestry aired, lol...)  
  
Jaclyn - Favorite chapter, really? And here I thought it sucked, lol. Well all I can say is thank ya! Yeah, I thought the message was really sweet. I ended up dreaming about that scene that night and I was all crying in my sleep, hehe. Man, I really am a poor sap... *sigh*  
  
Audrey - Julian might have a heart? ARE YOU NUTS? Lol, okay, she's really not that bad... it's just like, a hunger. She's sorta like Tribune in a way, only kills because she has to. And about the episode tomorrow... *Runs around screaming with you* ONE MORE DAY! ONE MORE DAY! He... ha... hehe... haha... *clears throat* uhm, yeah.  
  
TLWROX - AH! YOUR BACK! *sniffle* I thought I'd lost you as a reader... *cries a bit* Sheesh, don't scare me like that. But anywho, glad to have you back and I'm glad you like the latest developments of MM!  
  
Evil Irish Eyes - I'm sorry! I'm sorry! A thousand times sorry! I didn't mean to leave you out of last chapters notes but I was sorta just replying to those people who had reviewed, ya know? *sniffle* I SOWWIE! Am I forgiven? By the way, you're right. It was true love that saved Marguerite and Roxton from eternal damnation. As Challenger said, true love prevails over all. "As it always does," says Malone. Hehe... And yeah, Tapestry does seem a bit out of character for Roxton, but ya know, this is really the first time we've ever really gotten to learn about his past. I mean yeah we've seen all about William, but that was just one event. Maybe this will help us learn more about why he goes after Marguerite... maybe he understands.  
  
veggie5 - Well, lets see... TRUE LOVE! That's what saved Marguerite *grin* I'll try to get a little more into detail in this chapter and have some big M/R moments. That way I'll satisfy your quest for knowledge and my major love for M/R lovey doviness. And yes, that was a very short review. I'm disappointed, oh queen of long reviews! *gives you a stern look* Hehe, I'm just kidding. Just don't let it happen again! :O)  
  
  
  
  
  
Mayhem Mountain (10/?)  
  
by: Brandy Leigh  
  
  
  
~*~  
  
"I'm crazy, I'm insane," Challenger muttered as he ran through the forest of the plateau. "I've has some wild ideas before, but this one tops them all!"  
  
Challenger stopped running long enough to survey his surroundings and estimate how far he had gotten from the others. He couldn't recognize a damn thing and he was starting to wonder if he hadn't been running in the wrong direction. Hell, they'd all been running in the wrong direction for a week, in one big bloody circle.  
  
Challenger had noticed it a few days back when they began passing the same trees time and time again. Somehow, even though they seemed to continue traveling forward the whole way, they had managed to come full circle atleast three times. It must have been the distractions of the Ultouma that had caused them not to notice they were heading away from the mountain at times.  
  
If his theory was correct, all Challenger would have to do was backtrack, and before long he'd find himself at the treehouse. It couldn't be more than a day away by his calculations. But then again, he had no way to truly tell how far they had traveled from the treehouse. They could be mere miles away, yet they could have gone halfway across the plateau.  
  
"If I get Julian far enough away from the mountain she won't have the power to feed on any of us," Challenger thought aloud. "If she gets weak enough and turns back to her human state, I should be able to sedate her."  
  
Challenger nodded, reaffirming his plan. It sounded logical enough, but the truth was, he wasn't sure if it would work. He had no proof that Julian needed Maschou Monso to feed, but it seemed possible being the attacks didn't begin until they were all within range of the mountain. He only had one way to test his plan, and that was to go through with it.  
  
"God help me," he sighed as he started off again. "God help us all."  
  
Back at the campsite, the same thought was echoing through everyone as they sat around the fire. None of them had the energy or the will to head back to the treehouse, and none of them had the desire to go on towards Maschou Monso. All they wanted was a moment of peace, but it would not come. The only thing their minds would allow to them think about was Challenger.  
  
"Do you think he's alright?" Marguerite asked quietly. She was still quite shaken up and she clung to Roxton like her life depended on it.  
  
"I'm sure he's just fine," Roxton said. "He knows what he's doing... I hope."  
  
"You hope?" Malone asked, not sure he liked the way that sounded.  
  
"You know what I mean," Roxton said, shooting him a look that said 'shut up before you get everyone more worried than they already are.'  
  
"Right," Malone said quickly. To tell the truth, Roxton was being rather intimidating. Then again he had been through alot, just as everyone else had.  
  
Marguerite sighed and looked up at the sky. It was so clear and bright that if she tried hard enough it seemed like nothing was wrong. The stars were shinning so strong, the light emitting from them so pure. 'If only it were so simple,' she thought.  
  
"What are you thinking about?" Roxton asked softly.  
  
"The sky," she replied with a small smile. "It just seems to peaceful. It almost makes it hard to believe that all this is happening."  
  
"I know what you mean. I just wish it were true," Roxton said in return.  
  
Looking down at Marguerite now, Roxton longed to be able to just take her away from everything and make all of her pain and her past go away. He could see the way it weighed her down, how it pulled at her very core. He saw it more and more everyday as she slowly but surely let him into her heart. With what was happening now, she looked like she could break at any moment.  
  
Of course no one else would be able to tell this about her. To everyone else she probably looked just as strong and defiant as ever, but Roxton could see past it all. He could see down into her soul and feel the pain that she tried to hide so well. One day he'd make her understand that he loved her, despite her past. He would help her through the pain and he would never leave her.  
  
"You and me both," Marguerite said, snapping Roxton out of his thoughts. It almost took him a moment to realize what she was talking about.  
  
"Don't worry, Marguerite. We'll get through this, all of us. When it's over we'll throw a big party to celebrate the end of this insanity. We'll drink lots of wine and dance all night, hmm? How's that sound?" Roxton asked with a smile.  
  
Marguerite laughed and grinned up at him. "Oh, that sounds divine. I wish Challenger would hurry up and get back so we could get started!"  
  
Roxton laughed too and kissed the top of her head. "Soon, Marguerite. Soon."  
  
"Look at them," Veronica whispered, holding her injured arm. "Don't they look so sweet together?"  
  
"Yeah," Malone said on a sigh. "A perfect couple."  
  
"Is something wrong?" Veronica asked as she looked over at him.  
  
"No I... I was just thinking about something Challenger said to me the other night."  
  
"What did he say?"  
  
"He asked me if I thought that when the time comes to go home you'd come with us, and if not, would I be willing to stay here," Malone told her hesitantly.  
  
"What got you thinking about that?" Veronica asked, not really wanting to get into a discussion about what he said.  
  
"Seeing Marguerite and Roxton so happy together. It just got me thinking about me and you and I was wondering if we could ever have that," Malone replied, daring to glance over at her.  
  
"I don't know what to say, Ned."  
  
Malone shrugged. "You don't have to say anything. I know how you feel about me, and you know I feel the same way. I know neither of us is really ready for a relationship at this point in time so I won't push it. I just hope that someday we can be as happy as they are," he said as he nodded towards Marguerite and Roxton.  
  
"I thought we were happy with how things were now, since this trip," Veronica said, confused. She could have sworn they had become much closer since her brush with death.  
  
"Oh I am happy, Veronica. I'm very happy that I'm getting the chance to get closer to you."  
  
"Then what is it you want?"  
  
"I want to be able to hold you like Roxton holds Marguerite. I don't want to have to hide my feelings for you when everyone else is around and only kiss you when their backs are turned. I want everyone to know how much I love you, Veronica. Doesn't that only seem fair?" Malone asked with pleading eyes.  
  
"I'm just not ready for that," Veronica said softly. "I'm sorry, Ned." With that, she stood and headed into their tent.  
  
"Damnit," Malone muttered under his breath.  
  
"What happened?" Marguerite asked as she watched Veronica walk away.  
  
"Nothing," Malone snapped. "Just forget about it." He stood and walked to the edge of the woods, propping himself against a tree.  
  
"What was that all about?" Marguerite asked as she and Roxton watched Malone stomp off in a huff.  
  
"I have no idea," Roxton replied. "Must be relationship problems."  
  
Marguerite sighed. "Oh to be so young and naive again."  
  
"You mean you aren't naive now?" Roxton asked playfully.  
  
"Why you little devil!" she exclaimed with a grin as she smacked his arm.  
  
"Yes, and I'm your little devil," Roxton replied with a soft smile. He got the desired effect when Marguerite looked up at him, speechless. "What?" he asked.  
  
"You never cease to amaze me, John," she said softly.  
  
"And I never intend to," he told her, leaning closer.  
  
Their lips met in a soft kiss, and Marguerite sighed as she pulled him closer. She reveled in the feel of his arms around her, more glad to have him back than he would ever know. She began to think that maybe it wouldn't be so hard to open up to this man. It was plain to see he had no desire to hurt her like all the others had, he was genuine. For once in her life, she felt truly loved.  
  
"Closer, almost there," Challenger muttered as he began to recognize the scenery around him. He was only about a half a mile east from the treehouse at this point.  
  
"I hope Julian isn't too close behind me. I need time to make the sedative formula!"  
  
A low roar surrounded him, signaling a beast somewhere off behind him. He knew it had to be the Ultouma, there was no dinosaur on the entire plateau that made a sound like that.  
  
"Damn, this is going to be close," he muttered, pushing himself harder and picking up the pace.  
  
Challenger rounded the last clump of trees that were in between him and the treehouse and lowered his head to reduce any wind resistance that might have been slowing him down. He could hear the beast getting louder as he went on, and he knew that it was only a matter of time before it would be right on him.  
  
"Argh!" he yelled as he hurled himself into the elevator. He slammed down the lever and braced himself as it started it's trek upwards.  
  
Once inside the treehouse, Challenger used his last bit of energy to make a mad dash for his lab. He scrambled around grabbing a dash of this, a pinch of that. It was only a matter of minutes before Julian would arrive, and by then it would be too late. He had to hurry, there wasn't enough time...  
  
"Only one more ingredient," he muttered. "Where is it, where in the bloody hell is it?!"  
  
A loud screech tore through the area around the treehouse as the large beast burst onto the scene. Apparently it had forgotten about the electric fence and it had stepped right into it, electrocuting itself. Challenger could only smile even though he knew his time was almost up.  
  
"There!" he suddenly cried as he spotted the item he needed. He lunged for it, grabbing it up and tossing it into the mixing bowl.  
  
"For that, I will make your death long and harsh!" howled the beast as it finally disentangled itself from the fence.  
  
"Why isn't she deforming?" Challenger asked no one in particular. He figured she would be in full human form by now.  
  
"Come out come out wherever you are," the beast said with a smirk, stalking closer to the treehouse. "Yoohoo..."  
  
"Can't we just talk civilly?" Challenger called from his lab.  
  
"Civilly? I don't think so, Challenger. I know you're probably plotting some way to kill me as we speak, aren't you?"  
  
"Of course not!" Challenger called back. "I have no reason to kill you, Julian!" He turned back to the mixture and muttered for only his ears to hear, "I only want to knock you from your high horse."  
  
"Good, because you can't kill me. There is no way to kill fear!"  
  
With a savage yell, Julian thrust forward and tore into the treehouse. The force of the blow jolted Challenger and he fell to the ground, barely catching the bowl before it slid off the table. He managed to gather it up and pour the mixture into a container and slapped the cap on it.  
  
"Come and get it," he growled. "It's dinner time."  
  
The treehouse shook violently as Julian made her way up the side, climbing without effort. It no more than five or six strides she was to the top. She slung herself into the treehouse and looked around in a huff. She didn't see Challenger anywhere, but she knew he was near. She could smell the fear running off of him in waves.  
  
"Oh Challenger, where are you?" she asked sweetly. She was slowly transforming back to her human state as she walked through the treehouse.  
  
Receiving no answer she pushed forward, coming across a door she had never actually entered. As she wracked her brain she remembered seeing Challenger enter it a time or two before their departure and she grinned. It had to be his room or atleast a lab of some sort.  
  
"You wanted to talk civilly, right? Well, here I am. I'm not even a beast, right now. I'm trying to be nonthreatening here, Challenger. I don't want this to end bad," she said, suppressing a grin.  
  
"Alright," Challenger said, opening the door to his lab. "Let's talk."  
  
"Ah, there you are," Julian said with a convincing smile.  
  
"Yes, I'm here. Let's sit down and have a drink shall we?"  
  
"A drink?"  
  
"I don't know about you, but that run has me quite parched. You do know we ran nearly seven miles, don't you?" Challenger asked as he began to fill two glasses with water.  
  
"Is that all?" Julian asked nonchalantly.  
  
"All? My dear, that's a long way for someone like me to run! I feel like my legs are about to give out on me," Challenger told her.  
  
With his back turned to Julian, Challenger raised the vile that contained the sedative and poured some into both of the glasses. He figured that way, no matter which glass Julian chose she'd still be getting a dose of the sedative.  
  
"Here we are," he said as he placed the glasses on the table.  
  
"Why thank you," Julian said, picking up a glass and bringing it to her lips. She noticed Challenger watching her closely and she paused.  
  
"You know, you do look rather thirsty," she told him. "Go ahead, have a drink."  
  
"Yes of course," Challenger said with a nod. He hesitantly picked up the remaining glass and nodded it towards her in a toast. Julian nodded hers as well, mimicking his gesture. She watched as he raised the glass to his lips, waiting...  
  
Challenger took a small sip but held the liquid under his tongue. He knew that if he swallowed he'd be out in mere minutes. He looked over at Julian to see if she was drinking hers as well, hoping she would hurry up so he could spit it out before his tongue began to absorb the sedative.  
  
"This is very good water," Julian said as she took a sip.  
  
"That it is," Challenger muttered, nearly letting the water dribble out of his mouth.  
  
Julian suppressed yet another grin as she swallowed down the cool liquid. She could taste a slight twang in the water, no doubt some sort of formula to kill her or render her unconscious. She gladly took another sip, a larger one this time, delighting in the fact that the man before her actually thought she would be so easily manipulated.  
  
Across from her, Challenger was not fairing so well. Even the small dosage of the sedative that was being taken into his body was beginning to have an effect on him. His vision blurred slightly and he swayed a bit, catching himself on the edge of the table.  
  
"Problems?" Julian asked sweetly.  
  
"No, not at all," Challenger lied, gripping the table so hard his knuckles were turning white.  
  
"Maybe you should work out more often, old boy. It looks like you're about to collapse!"  
  
"I... I'm fine..." Challenger managed as the remainder of the water dribbled down into his beard. With a huff, he collapsed to into a gasping pile on the floor.  
  
"Strong stuff," Julian said as if she was commenting on an alcoholic beverage. "Nice try, but no cigar."  
  
With a truly evil grin, Julian sauntered over and picked up the glass of water that Challenger had left sitting on the table. She leaned over him, tilted his head back, and poured the remaining liquid down his throat. Unable to stop her, Challenger could only watch and reflexively swallow. Before long, he was out cold.  
  
"And now," Julian began, her eyes changing from a cool blue to a glowing yellow, "you and your friends will pay. They will pay for their ignorance and you will pay for your stupid mistake. Say good-bye, George Challenger. You have seen your friends alive for the last time."  
  
  
  
~*~  
  
End part ten  
  
~*~  
  
Authors notes: You know you've got problems when your authors notes start taking up almost as much space as your chapter... sheesh... But anywho, guess what? The final battle is almost here! The next chapter man, it's all down to good versus evil. Who will win? And even if good wins, then what? *Hops around the room in anticipation* And is it just me or was this another filler chapter? Anyway dudes, did ya'll catch Tapestry? AHHHH! *sigh* Damn good episode... I was totally surprised when it turned out that Marguerite was a GOOD guy for once! *grin* But I shoulda known she was the double (well, triple really) agent instead of Roxton. Only makes sense! Maybe my new fic should be about that... herm...  
  
~*~  
  
  
  
Possible questions answered in part 11:  
  
Who will win the age old battle of good versus evil?  
  
Will Roxton, Marguerite, Veronica and Malone meet their doom?  
  
What happened to chapter nine's questions?  
  
Maybe we'll never know... but you could always read and try to find out! 


	11. The Visitor

~*~  
  
Disclaimer, etc. in part one  
  
~*~  
  
Authors notes: OMG guys, I just saw Legacy last night. The Marguerite and Roxton scene... *drools* AND OMG DID YOU SEE THE PREVIEWS FOR NEXT WEEK! MY GOD IN HEAVEN!!! *faints* "I'd give my last breath for you, Marguerite... I love you." AHHHHH! *faints again* *dreamy sigh* Well, anyway... Now that I'm all agitated I've been inspired to write more in my fic. Here's part eleven! Gosh, how did this fic get so long...?  
  
veggie5 - ALL HAIL THE QUEEN OF LONG REVIEWS! I think you are like the first person ever to have a review so long that ff.net had to cut you off... I am very impressed, and I feel very honored! *grin* Yes, I can tell you're WAY too into the story, lol... but that's okay, it makes me feel special! And about Veronica walking off on Malone... I know! Gosh... but it'll all work out in the end, I promise! :O) And uh... BOO-URNS?  
  
Veronica - I just realized how long you've stuck with me through this story and I wanted to extend a big thank you! I enjoy your reviews and suggestions and I appreciate you taking the time to read my story. Keep on reading, and never stop watching Lost World! *grin*  
  
Audrey - Well, the sedative didn't effect her because technically she's not a person... she's fear taking on human form. So therefore the sedative wouldn't really have the same effect as it would on a human. Well, now that I sound like a science professor, hehe. And don't worry about N/V, it'll all work out in the end... But seriously though, I don't think Julian has a heart. You never know, though... the story ain't over yet!  
  
Jaclyn - I really would like to link Marguerite's Chosen One status into this fic but you know, there are just too many fics out there that deal with it. There's too large or a chance that it will seem like I'm ripping someone off, ya know? All I've got to say is... next week's episode almost looks like it's ripping YOU off, LOL! Anyway, go update... I NEED THE REUNION!!!  
  
Evil Irish Eyes - WHERE OH WHERE IS MY EVIL FRIEND?!?! She didn't review my last chapter... *goes into a fit of tears and gets a really runny nose* Now look what you did, you went and upset Roxton! *heavy sigh* Lol, j/k. I know you've gotta be busy, because you're going to send up chapter 21 soon RIGHT?!?! Hehe... GO! GET WRITING! *grin*  
  
Crimson Cat - Yeah I know, I've got alot to clear up. *Sigh* I have no idea how I'm gonna do it, though. I plan on wrapping this story up within the next chapter or two, so I've got ALOT of planning and writing to do! And don't worry, I'm sure Challenger will be just fine... *grins evilly*  
  
  
  
  
  
Mayhem Mountain (11/?)  
  
by: Brandy Leigh  
  
  
  
~*~  
  
Veronica sat alone in the dark confines of the tent she shared with Malone, her legs drawn up to her chest and her arms wrapped around her knees. She sighed deeply and laid her head down on her arms, thinking over the conversation she and Malone had only an hour before. She closed her eyes and imagined him in her head, hearing him confess to her how much she meant to him.  
  
It was what she had always dreamt of, wasn't it? Having him look her deep in the eyes and tell her things that one could only say to their soulmate, the one they wanted to spend their life with? If it was what she truly wanted, then why did she push him away? Why did she walk away from him when she should have pulled him close and kissed him so hard he forgot that a woman named Gladys even existed?  
  
Veronica drew in a deep breath and realized that Gladys was the problem. Sure Malone had informed her he no longer had an interest in his financÃ©, but it was still a hard thing to comprehend. How did she know that if he found his way back to London he wouldn't run straight back into her arms? There was no way to be certain that when he saw her again his feelings for her would not resurface.  
  
So that was it, Veronica was jealous. She was jealous of a woman she had only met in a dream, a woman who was halfway across the world and had no way of knowing what Malone was doing. She was jealous of someone who Malone hadn't had contact with for nearly three years. It was a stupid jealously, an emotion that had no right to be in her heart... but it was, nonetheless.  
  
'I really should talk to him about this,' she thought. 'He needs to know that it's not him, it's me. I'm selfish, and I'm jealous. I shouldn't let my insecurities keep us apart anymore.'  
  
Veronica nodded, telling herself that she was going to talk to Malone as soon as he came back to the tent. She was going to fix this whole mess and make things right between them. She loved him, she had even been so bold as to tell him. Now it was just a matter of putting aside petty fears and letting her love for him show. She would make everything up to him if it was the last thing she did.  
  
Off in the distance, a very evil grin spread across the face of a very evil creature. Julian Gatessi knew exactly how to take care of the blonde one, the one who thought she was better than everyone else. All she would have to do is transform into another blonde from a certain someone's past, and the fun would surely begin on it's own.  
  
"Who needs to make someone's fear manifest when you can just be the fear itself? More fun can be had when you are the player instead of the pawn," Julian murmured as she slowly began to change shape.  
  
Back at the campfire, Marguerite and Roxton were still engaged in a very deep, passionate kiss. They seemed oblivious to the world around them, too occupied with each other and their newfound love. Eventually Marguerite pulled back, quite out of breath.  
  
"You know John, maybe we should head to bed," Marguerite said suggestively as she looked up at the hunter. She was grinning quite wickedly, and she obviously had no intention of going to sleep.  
  
"Why Marguerite, I think for once you're right."  
  
Roxton stood, pulling her up with him. His eyes never left hers as he started leaded her towards the tent. He opened the flap to allow her to enter, but before either one of them could go in a very annoying girlish voice greeted them.  
  
"Excuse me, do you know Edward Malone? I'm looking for him."  
  
Roxton turned to see who the source of the voice was and spotted a fragile looking blonde watching him expectantly. The woman looked rather afraid, much as anyone would be if they found themselves in the middle of the plateau. He could sympathize, but he was also suspicious. How in the world did she get there, and how did she know Malone? It was quite the coincidence that she had stumbled upon them.  
  
"Why yes, we know Edward Malone," Marguerite said, also rather shocked that this woman, who was clad in high society London-wear, knew Malone. "He's right over-"  
  
"Just how do you know Malone, Miss..." Roxton interrupted Marguerite, but trailed off not knowing what to call their guest.  
  
"Oh, you must think I'm so rude! My name is Gladys, I'm Edward's financÃ©. Do you really know where he is? I've been looking for him for quite some time now and I'm so worried!" the woman said.  
  
Marguerite and Roxton looked at each other wide eyed. If this was truly Gladys, all hell was about to break loose in the campsite. They knew it probably wasn't the smartest thing to do, but they had to tell her where Malone was. It would be wrong to turn her away, afraid and worried for her financÃ©.  
  
Roxton signed and nodded. "Yes, we know him. He's just over there, along those trees."  
  
Gladys looked over and spotted him, her eyes lighting up. "Oh Neddy!" she exclaimed as she broke into a run.  
  
"Well this can't be good," Roxton said.  
  
"Do you think it's really her?" Marguerite asked.  
  
"How could it not be?"  
  
"Well, we've been tricked before. She could be anyone," Marguerite said as she watched the scene before her.  
  
"Oh Neddy!" Malone heard from behind him. His eyes widened and he spun around, only to have his suspicions confirmed. His financÃ©, Gladys, was on the plateau.  
  
"Gladys? What... what are you doing here?" he asked, stunned.  
  
"Oh Neddy, I was so worried about you! I talked the Zoological Society into funding a rescue expedition and we've been searching for months!" Gladys said as she flung herself into Malone's arms.  
  
'What in the world?' Veronica thought as she heard all the shouting outside. She stuck her head out of the tent and looked around, spotting only Marguerite and Roxton at first. She saw them looking off in the distance and turned to follow their gaze.  
  
"Are you serious? A rescue expedition?" Malone asked, pulling away.  
  
"Yes! We thought we'd never find you in this dreadful place," Gladys said. She suddenly realize Malone was pulling from her embrace. "Neddy, what's wrong?"  
  
It was then that Malone's eyes locked on Veronica's as she looked on from across the campsite. He froze, completely unsure of what to do. This was a bad situation, one that he had hoped he would never find himself in.  
  
Gladys turned to see what Malone was looking at and spotted the blonde jungle girl who was now fully out of the tent. She narrowed her eyes at her and spun back around to glare at Malone.  
  
"And just who is that?" Gladys asked, the head of jealously obviously raring.  
  
"Why uh, that's Veronica," Malone replied, hoping Gladys wouldn't press the subject.  
  
"And what is she to you, Edward Malone? She sure doesn't look to happy to see you with me."  
  
Malone looked up at Veronica, trying to figure out the best thing to say. It suddenly hit him that he had no reason to lie to Gladys about Veronica. Why stand there and hurt Veronica to try and make it up to Gladys when he'd spent the past three years trying to get over her?  
  
Malone took a deep breath, looked Gladys straight in the eyes and said, "I'm in love with her, Gladys."  
  
Roxton and Marguerite looked at each other in shock, and Veronica let her jaw drop. All three of them were stunned, and none of them could believe that Malone had actually said what he did. It took Veronica a moment to process that all of it was actually happening.  
  
"What are you doing, Ned?" she asked, stepping forward.  
  
"Yes, what ARE you doing? Have you lost your mind? This savage?!" Gladys shouted.  
  
"Savage?" Veronica asked the woman angrily.  
  
"Veronica is no savage," Malone told Gladys.  
  
"You can't be serious, Neddy! How could you possibly love... her?!"  
  
"It's not so hard to believe, Gladys. She isn't trying to change me, to manipulate me and make me perfect. She loves me for who I am, and I'm happy when I'm with her. Unlike you, she actually how I feel and what I think!"  
  
"What? Have you lost your mind? I think you've been in this godforsaken place far too long!" Gladys yelled, enraged.  
  
"If anyone's out of their mind it's you, Gladys. I'm perfectly sane, and I know what I want."  
  
"And you're going to look me in the face and honestly tell me its her that you want?"  
  
"Yes."  
  
Gladys drew in a deep breath, obviously very angry. She turned to look at Veronica, who was staring at her and Malone like they had both grown another head. Gladys hiked up her skirt, stalked over to Veronica, and promptly slapped her across the face.  
  
"Gladys!" Malone shouted, running over.  
  
Gladys turned around to face Malone, all the while reaching under her skirt. She grabbed an object that was strapped to her thigh, pulled her arm back, and swung at Malone. Veronica reached out with lightening fast reflexes and grabbed hold of Gladys' arm seconds before the knife in her hand connected with Malone.  
  
"I don't think so," Veronica said as she jerked the blade from Gladys' grasp.  
  
"Oh but I do!" Gladys yelled as she spun around and kicked Veronica square in the stomach, sending her flying back.  
  
Veronica let out a yelp as she connected with the ground, wincing. She grabbed hold of her broken arm and squeezed her eyes shut in pain from where she had landed on it when Gladys kicked her.  
  
"Whoa!" Marguerite cried as she scrambled over to Veronica.  
  
"I don't think that's Gladys!" Roxton exclaimed as he rushed over also.  
  
"I told you!" Marguerite shouted.  
  
"I don't care who she is," Veronica said through gritted teeth. "I'm about two seconds from kicking her ass!"  
  
"Gladys, stop it!" Malone shouted. "This is crazy!"  
  
"The only thing crazy here is you, Neddy," Gladys said as her eyes began to glow a haunting yellow.  
  
"Holy God..."  
  
"Hey Gladys," Veronica said sweetly, causing Gladys to spin around.  
  
"What do you want?" Gladys asked, her voice now deep and evil.  
  
Veronica grinned and held her good arm behind her back. She slowly twirled the knife Gladys had thrown at her, preparing to give the woman a taste of her own medicine.  
  
"Missing something?" she asked.  
  
Gladys looked around trying to figure out what Veronica was talking about, and Veronica took this as her chance. She hurled the knife straight at Gladys, making perfect aim straight for a chest. She let out a yell from the effort, for all of her anger and fear towards with woman went with it.  
  
"AGH!" Gladys cried as the blade hit her chest, dead center. She flew back, hitting the ground and not moving an inch. The only thing that changed was her form as she slowly changed back into Julian.  
  
"Julian," Roxton muttered.  
  
"I should have known that little twit was behind all of this," Marguerite said.  
  
"We all should have, it made no sense that Gladys would be here," Malone said, making his way over to them.  
  
Veronica looked up at Malone, eyes moist with tears that threatened to fall. Malone wasn't quite sure why she looked like she was about to cry, but he took a step forward and pulled her into his arms anyway. He held her close, taking a deep breath of the smell of her hair.  
  
"Veronica?" he eventually asked. "What's wrong?"  
  
"I can't believe I was jealous of that, that thing!" Veronica cried.  
  
"Jealous?" Malone asked, shocked.  
  
Veronica nodded slightly and looked up at him to explain. "That's why I've been pushing you away lately, Ned. I was worried that you still loved Gladys and that you could never really care about me the way I care about you."  
  
"Veronica... I told you, Gladys-"  
  
"Was in the past, I know. But I just figured that once you found your way back to London you'd find your way right back into your arms. It happened once before, and it might happen again."  
  
"No," Malone said firmly. "That is not going to happen. What happened before was a dream, it was not reality. When it comes down to the decision in real life I will always choose you, Veronica. Always."  
  
Veronica just smiled, her tears flowing freely now. She pulled Malone back to her, hugging him the best she could with one arm.  
  
"Guys?" Marguerite asked, trying to get their attention. "Not to burst your bubble or anything, but if Julian is here, where's Challenger?"  
  
The four of them looked at each other, each sharing the same fear. If Julian was here trying to attack them, then Challenger had failed in his plan. Wherever he was, he was most likely hurt or in danger.  
  
"We have to find him," Roxton said suddenly.  
  
"Right, I'll grab the weapons," Malone said as he dashed towards the tents.  
  
"What about Julian?"  
  
"Oh I'll take care of her," Veronica said, voice full of venom.  
  
"I'll help," Marguerite said, just as angry.  
  
Malone and Roxton looked at each other, grinning. They had surely picked the right team to play on by the looks of things.  
  
"What do you two plan on doing?" Malone asked.  
  
"Well there has to be some way to get rid of her," Roxton said. "Some weakness we can use against her."  
  
"Let's just throw her in a damn river and be through with it," Marguerite said.  
  
"No, it can't be that simple. If it was, Challenger would have been able to handle it," Veronica said.  
  
"Then what exactly do you suggest?" Marguerite asked.  
  
"Well, Julian is the Ultouma, right? She's the physical manifestation of fear," Veronica said, deep in thought.  
  
"Yes, we've established that."  
  
"Well, there's an old Zanga legend about a creature that terrorized the village at night, stealing children from their beds. It's said that this creature stole the children because of their nightmares, and wouldn't nightmares classify as fear?"  
  
"You think Julian is this creature?" Roxton asked.  
  
"It's possible," Veronica said. "And it would make sense that only children were taken. They're young and it would be easier for them not to have the strength or will to pass the test."  
  
"How does the legend say to get rid of it?" Malone asked.  
  
"The Zanga discovered the creature was afraid of fire," Veronica told them. "They began keeping a flame burning in every home where a child lived and before long it went away."  
  
"And wouldn't you know, Julian has been absent from every one of our little pow wows around the campfire," Marguerite said thoughtfully.  
  
"That's it then," Malone said. "We torch her."  
  
"Well, that would be easy if she were still here," Roxton said looking around. He couldn't see her anywhere, and he reasoned while they were talking she had found the perfect opportunity to escape into the woods.  
  
"Damnit!" Marguerite shouted.  
  
"Don't worry," Veronica said, full of determination. "I think I know where she's going."  
  
With that, Veronica leaned down and picked up the biggest stick she could find. Holding it to the campfire she watched as it caught fire, almost hypnotized by the flame. She motioned for the others to do the same, and soon they all held torches.  
  
"Let's go," she said without hesitation, and everyone fell back in line to follow her.  
  
~*~  
  
End part eleven  
  
~*~  
  
Authors notes: Well I guess Veronica wasn't totally out of the woods with the whole fear thing, eh? Sorry that Challenger wasn't in this chapter at all, but he just didn't fit in with what I had going, ya know? Lol, the writers at Lost World took my idea and made it so that Challenger just sorta showed up outta no where in Legacy, oblivious. I was laughing my ass off when he came out and said something like, "Good heavens, what was all that shooting about?" Sound familiar to anyone? *hint hint nudge nudge* My Challenger does the same thing throughout this whole story, man! :O) I didn't plan it, either... I guess Challenger is just my least favorite character (actually, Finn is). Nothing against him, he just isn't as fun to play with! And why in God's name can't Finn said "Veronica"? She's always gotta say "V". Okay sorry... my random rant for the day. She was just pissing me off yesterday in Legacy. *sigh*  
  
P.s. I was half asleep when I wrote the last half of this chapter, so if it makes no sense that's why! *grin*  
  
~*~  
  
Possible questions answered in part 12:  
  
Is Julian really the creature from the Zanga legend?  
  
Will our heroes be able to defeat her?  
  
How much longer is this god forsaken story?  
  
You'll have to read to find out... 


	12. Emotions Run High

~*~  
  
Disclaimer, etc. in part one  
  
~*~  
  
Authors notes: I'm baaaaaaaaaaaack! Whew! RL was really getting me these past few weeks... and now that I've written this, I gotta catch up on all those wonderful fics by Evil Irish Eyes, veggie5, CrimsonCat and all my other favorite writers. But first I gotta clear up is that I DON'T totally hate Finn, I just find her annoying at times. I also hate the fact that there's this Australian tax law that says there can be only so many non Australian actors on a show at once and they are substituting Lara Cox (Finn) for David Orth (Malone). I think that's what pisses me off the most about Finn, because if her character wasn't there Malone would be able to come back. And I have NOTHING against Challenger, I just happen to IDOLIZE M/R, N/V slide in at second, and Challenger is just sorta backing them all up! *g* So anywho... (P.s. My notes are outdated again all except for Evil Irish Eyes... I wrote them *before* Trapped aired!)  
  
veggie5 - *bows down and says her daily devotions to the almighty queen of long reviews* Yet another WONDERFUL review! Lol, this is sad, I'm reviewing you for your review. Ah who cares... It's my way of saying I LOVE YA, GIRL! I always love reading your reviews 'cause I end up getting all misty eyed and laughing my ass off at the same time. It's quite the spectacle to behold. And as for M/R shippy moments... the last chapter of this story, whenever that may come around, is going to be MAJOR M/R mushy. That's going to be like, what ties it all together. *big grin* I bet you can't wait! And dang, you really want Julian dead don't you? Maybe I should let you jump in the story and axe her yourself? Lol... Keep it together and you'll get your wish in the end! :O)  
  
Jaclyn - You love me? *sniffle* You really, really love me? *blows nose* And I'm the funniest person in the world? *bawls* But about Trapped... *drool* This week needs to go by FASTER! FASTER I SAY!!! But really, thanks for the wonderful review! I I... words can't describe... I can't go on... *bawls again, but managed to pull herself together* Now, don't burn yourself out to finish the next part of Severed, but don't dawdle either, lol. I reeeeaaaalllyyyyyyy wanna know what's gonna happen! EEP! *jumps up and down* Okay, now SHOO! WRITE! Lol...  
  
Ascamelien - *crosses arms over chest diapprovingly* Are you telling me it took eleven chapters for you to review? I'm ashamed of you, Ascamelien! But you're forgiven, 'cause you finally reviewed! *grin* Thanks for all your kind words in that wonderful review! And like I said earlier, I don't dislike Challenger or anything... he just happened to come in last. But yeah, send Finn back to the future! Go, go, go! I was so mad in the episode Finn when she was there when they got back to the... past... uhm... Yeah. Lol! Anyway, you'd better keep reviewing, missy! :O)  
  
Audrey - *holds hands up in defense* Cool, you like Finn and I like chicken. It's all good! *grin* But I just really don't like it when she called her "V". I Kept yelling, "IT'S VERONICA, YOU IDIOT!" throughout the whole episode, lol... oh well! And yeah, our heroes are a little gullible, but it makes me love them even more! Maybe next time good ol' Gladys or someone else pops up out of nowhere they'll be a little more cautious? Dunno, we'll have to see! Trapped... I've jumped up and down and shouted and been excited so much since Saturday that I can't do it anymore! I can't... jump... more... *falls over* I'm just glad you didn't suffocate!!! Oh and by the way: *whacks you for calling her brand*  
  
Jackie - Hey man, glad you like the story! I just wanted to tell you I've noticed you reviewing since waaaay back when and I wanted you to know how much I appreciate it. Thanks!  
  
CrimsonCat - Of course you're in my A/Ns... 'cause you're cool! Pretty much anyone who takes time to write super long reviews and/or who I've seen reviewing for a while gets in there. Either that or people who really motivate me or touch me big time with their reviews. So guys, if you're in my A/Ns it means you mean alot to me and I never want you to stop reviewing! As long as you'll read, I'll keep on writing!!!  
  
Evil Irish Eyes - AAAAAHHH!!! TRAPPED!!! AAAAAHHH!!! HEART OF THE STORM!!! AAAAAHHH!!! How can they do this to us?! It's inhuman!!! *Falls to the floor kicking and crying* By the way... I am so sorry I haven't reviewed the past few chapters on your story yet. I just got back on fanfiction.net since like two weeks ago so I have ALOT of catching up to do. I promise you within like a day or two I'll have your story and everyone else's reviewed. *sigh* And Roxton no cry no more. Roxton happy. Roxton got some action! Lol... Anyway, gotta run. For some reason I've got huge man eating bats chasing me. Weird, eh?  
  
  
  
  
  
Mayhem Mountain (12/?)  
  
by: Brandy Leigh  
  
  
  
~*~  
  
"We need to split up," Veronica told the group as they started out down the path. She had a determined fire in her eyes, one that none of them had seen for quite some time. "Malone, you come with me. Roxton, Marguerite, you two look for Challenger."  
  
Veronica paused and looked around. She bent down and examined the ground, checking for footprints. She found what she was looking for, stood back up, then pointed with her torch the direction Challenger had ran. "He went that way."  
  
"Are you sure?" Marguerite asked.  
  
"Positive. His footprints are still fresh."  
  
"She's right," Roxton told Marguerite. "If we start now, we should be able to follow his path before anything else travels over it and throws us off."  
  
"We'll meet back at the treehouse," Veronica said as she turned and began walking in the opposite direction.  
  
"But what if you need help?" Marguerite called after her.  
  
"Don't worry about us," Veronica said. "Just help Challenger!"  
  
"Do you really know where this thing is hiding?" Malone asked Veronica as he watched Roxton and Marguerite start off after Challenger.  
  
"Not a hundred percent, but it's the best I can figure. Zanga legend says that when this creature went into hiding it took residence in a hillside in the south mountain range of the plateau," Veronica began.  
  
"No offense, but isn't that quite the broad area?" Malone asked a bit skeptically.  
  
"Yes, but there is one strip of rock that no Zanga will ever go near in that area. No one will say why, but if my thoughts are correct I've got a pretty good idea."  
  
"The resting place of our good pal Julian."  
  
Veronica nodded, never taking her eyes away from the path in front of her. She was deep in thought, trying to remember the path to one of the most forbidden strips of land on the plateau.  
  
"What exactly is our plan once we find this place?" Malone asked, snapping her out of her thoughts.  
  
"I was thinking on going with your idea," Veronica told him.  
  
"And that would be?"  
  
"We torch the bitch."  
  
Malone stopped short and almost dropped his torch, bursting into laughter. He couldn't stop himself even though Veronica had turned and began to give him a death glare. He stuffed his hand over his mouth to stifle the laughter, but it just wouldn't stop.  
  
"Just what do you find so funny?" Veronica asked angrily.  
  
"I'm sorry," Malone said through his laughter. "It's just I've never heard you curse before. Hell, I don't think I've ever seen you mad enough to curse!"  
  
"I still don't see the humor, Malone."  
  
"I'm sorry Veronica!" Malone said, still laughing. "But you should have seen your face! I'm sure glad it's not me you're mad at."  
  
Veronica kept glaring at Malone, trying her hardest to stay mad at him. Her attempts were futile and soon his laughter became contagious. Veronica broke into a grin, a small fit of laughter following it. She whacked Malone on the arm playfully as she fought to control the giggles.  
  
"I guess you're right," Veronica told him as her laughter subsided.  
  
"I am?" Malone asked, a little shocked.  
  
Veronica nodded. "I don't think I've ever been that angry. Not that I can remember, anyway. And honestly, I don't think anyone has ever made me laugh so hard when I was mad."  
  
"Is that a good thing or a bad thing?" Malone asked, a little taken back by Veronica's sudden change in mood.  
  
"It's good, silly!" Veronica exclaimed, then sighed. "I guess I was being a little crazy. I shouldn't let this bother me so much."  
  
"You have every right to be upset, Veronica. We're all getting rather angry with the situation, we just have to keep our heads and stick together."  
  
Veronica nodded, leaning in to give Malone a small kiss. "Thank you, Ned. For everything."  
  
Malone just smiled and blushed lightly, wondering what he'd ever done to deserve such a wonderful woman. She was pure energy, the true definition of life on the plateau. He loved everything about her: her smile, her laughter, even her anger... as long as it wasn't directed at him.  
  
"We should keep moving," Veronica said as she pulled away and started back down the path. "We've got a long way to go."  
  
Malone sighed and moved to follow her, hoping this whole nightmare would be over soon. He didn't know how much more of this whole charade he'd be able to take before he broke down and went insane.  
  
Meanwhile, Roxton and Marguerite continued along the path that Challenger had left behind, the scenery around them beginning to look more and more familiar. It wasn't long before Roxton noticed the path they were following was going to lead them right back to the treehouse.  
  
"John, we're heading back towards the treehouse, aren't we?" Marguerite asked as she began to recognize the area as well.  
  
"It looks that way. Challenger must have figured he'd fair best against Julian on our own playing field," Roxton replied.  
  
"I'm starting to think this whole plateau is her playing field, that this battle is a lost cause," Marguerite said on a sigh.  
  
"That's what she wants us to believe, Marguerite. We can't give in to her and let her get under our skin or she'll win. You know, you need to learn to be more optimistic."  
  
"Well what exactly do you want me to believe, John? That all we have to do is think happy thoughts and all will be well?"  
  
"Well it's a start!" Roxton exclaimed. "If you just sit down and give up, what hope do we have?"  
  
Marguerite just shook her head and gave Roxton an exasperated look. "Why do you always feel the need to charge in and treat everything like some great and history changing war? You act like you're a big bad warrior who's duty is to save the day, every day. When will you learn that you're just an average man, you have the right to accept defeat!"  
  
"I don't want to accept defeat," Roxton told her.  
  
"You don't have to accept defeat, but you don't have to try so bloody hard to save everyone. What you're doing is not healthy, John. You need to realize that it is not your job to save everyone."  
  
"I have to atleast try, Marguerite. If I don't, I feel like everything I've been through, everything that's happened to my friends and family was for nothing. I feel like I'm worthless if I don't try. If I just sit by and watch I'll always know that there was something I could have done, that if someone gets hurt I could have kept it from happening."  
  
"And if you keep charging in head first, guns blazing, you are going to be the one getting hurt."  
  
"Marguerite, I..."  
  
Marguerite stepped forward to Roxton and took his face in her hands. She looked him straight in the eyes, determined for him to hear her out.  
  
"John, listen to me. I am grateful every day of my life to have you by my side to love me and protect me. I don't know what I would do if you weren't there, and to be honest, I don't want to find out. Hell, I'll admit that I probably wouldn't be alive right now if it wasn't for you. It's wonderful that you want to save everyone, but you can't. If you keep risking your life you are going to get yourself killed, and I... I don't know if I could handle that, John. Not now, not ever."  
  
Roxton managed to give Marguerite a small reassuring smile, then rose his hand to brush away the few stray tears that she had not managed to contain. In the three years he'd know her, she had never been so honest and open with him. To have her trust him so completely and confide in him touched him more deeply than she could ever know. The walls that had kept him out for so long were finally beginning to crumble.  
  
"Enough emotional tidal waves, huh?" Roxton asked with a smile. "Let's go find Challenger and make sure he's alive, alright? We can sit down and talk about all of this after this whole thing is over."  
  
Marguerite nodded slightly and returned his smile. "Sounds like a plan to me," she told him.  
  
The two turned back to the path they had been following, neither quite sure of what they were feeling. They both knew that if they persued their relationship there would be a long road ahead of them with many rough patches, and there also be would be many trying times. Neither of them knew how long they would last, but both of them knew they could not survive without the other. Only time would tell...  
  
"How much farther?" Malone asked Veronica, beginning to tire from their trek. They hadn't stopped even once in the past few hours they had been walking.  
  
"It's hard to tell," Veronica told him. "I think it's only an hour or so more, but I'm not sure exactly where we were when we started out."  
  
Malone sighed and slowed down a bit. "Hey, do you think we could take a break?" he asked.  
  
"Only if we make it quick, Ned. The longer we take, the more time we give Julian to rebuild her strength. She's not a happy person right now, and personally I don't want to know what kind of revenge she's got planned."  
  
"Me either," Malone said, sitting down on a nearby rock. "God knows how much damage she did when she wasn't mad, but now..."  
  
"Exactly my point," Veronica replied, sitting down next to him.  
  
"Do you really thing we can do this?" Malone asked her. "Take Julian out, I mean."  
  
"Of course we can," Veronica said with a smile. "We've faced a lot since you arrived three years ago, and we've pulled through it all. We'll get through this just fine, I'm sure of it."  
  
Although Malone wasn't as optimistic on the matter as she was, he returned her smile none the less. He didn't think they would fail, but he knew that this was something far more high risk and dangerous than they had ever faced before. Who knew what Julian was capable of? They'd already witnessed some of her power, and it was definitely not a force to be reckoned with.  
  
"Come on Ned," Veronica said as she stood. "We've wasted enough time already."  
  
"We've only been stopped for a minute, Veronica!" Malone complained.  
  
"A minute which could very well decide if we win or lose this battle."  
  
Malone sighed and stood, giving Veronica a weary look he said, "This coming from the woman who said she was sure we'd prevail."  
  
"Well, I've been known to be wrong."  
  
With that, Veronica started back down the path once again, leaving Malone behind with a very perplexed look on his face. After a moment he jumped to life, jogging to catch up with the retreating blonde.  
  
"Hey Veronica, wait up! You're really not helping me feel any better, you know..."  
  
Veronica just laughed and continued on, completely unaware of the eyes that watched her travel.  
  
"There's the treehouse," Roxton said as he and Marguerite entered the clearing where their home stood.  
  
"Oh thank God," Marguerite said as she jogged towards the electric fence. "I never thought I'd be so happy to see this place!"  
  
Roxton laughed and flipped the switch which would allow them entry through the fence. "You and me both, Marguerite."  
  
Marguerite headed over to the elevator as Roxton reactivated the fence and waited for him to join her. As soon as he was inside the cart she hit the switch, causing the cart to accend into the treehouse.  
  
"Challenger?" she called out once the elevator had come to a complete stop.  
  
"George?" Roxton echoed as he stepped out of the cart.  
  
A low groan came from the vicinity of the kitchen/dining area, and the two explorers looked at eachother. Seconds later they dashed over to the table where two glasses laid, one overturned and empty and one standing full. Next to the table lay George Challenger, unconscious and covered with perspiration.  
  
"George... George can you hear me?" Marguerite asked softly as she knelt down beside him. She lightly brushed the sweat from his cheek then checked to see how his pulse felt.  
  
"How does it look?" Roxton asked.  
  
"His pulse is quick and thready, and his breathing is heavy and slow. Given that information and the obvious lack of struggle... If I had to guess I'd say he was knocked unconscious by some sort of sedative. He probably didn't even know it was coming."  
  
"Just great," Roxton muttered. "How much longer do you think he'll be out?"  
  
"I have no idea," Marguerite replied while looking around. "I just wish I knew what he'd been knocked out with. If I knew that I might be able to tell you."  
  
"Here," Roxton said, picking up the fallen glass. "Do you think he might have drank it from this?"  
  
"Quite possibly," Marguerite said as she stood and inspected the glass. She looked over and noticed the second glass, picking it up. She shrugged then said, "If it was in the water, there was no way he could have known."  
  
Roxton nodded towards Challenger's lab where the door was still sitting wide open and said, "Maybe we should check his lab. Who knows, we might find what knocked him out."  
  
"You stay here with Challenger and see if you can wake him up, I'll go take a quick look."  
  
"Be careful, Marguerite. Who knows what kind of traps may be laying around."  
  
Marguerite smiled lightly and drew her gun, walking over to the lab. She entered it and began to search over the contents of the room. It didn't take her long to find the ingredients for the sedative which were still scattered across Challenger's work space. Inspecting it, she realized what Challenger had been trying to make and sighed.  
  
"Well I don't think anyone tried to poison Challenger, he made the sedative himself," she called out to Roxton.  
  
"What kind of sedative was it?" Roxton called back.  
  
Marguerite exited the lab, carrying a mixing bowl which still contained a small bit of the drug.  
  
"A very strong one," she told him. "A small pinch of this would render someone unconscious for hours. If Challenger swallowed a large dose, he could be out for days."  
  
Roxton sighed and looked back down at Challenger. "We should probably move him to his room. That way atleast he'll be comfortable."  
  
"Right," Marguerite said, coming over to help Roxton carry Challenger into his room. The two laid him on his bed, made sure he was covered with blankets and comfortable, then went back out into the living quarters.  
  
"What now?" Marguerite asked, sitting down in one of the wicker chairs.  
  
"We wait, I suppose. There's really not much else we can do until Veronica and Malone get back," Roxton replied, taking a seat across from her.  
  
"This is all one bloody nightmare," Marguerite said on a sigh.  
  
"Oh I don't know about that, Marguerite. What was the last time we had this much of an adventure?"  
  
Marguerite scoffed. "You call this an adventure? I call it a disaster!"  
  
"Well if it wasn't for this 'disaster', do you really think you and I would be as close as we are right now?"  
  
"That's not a very fair question, John."  
  
"I'm being serious, here."  
  
"So am I!" Marguerite exclaimed, intending on ending the conversation.  
  
Roxton sighed and continued. "All I'm trying to say is, something good has actually come out of this. You don't understand how much it means to me that we've grown closer and you're starting opening yourself up to me."  
  
"It would have happened sooner or later," Marguerite mumbled, looking away.  
  
"Yes but it didn't happen later, it happened now... and I'm glad it did. I love you, Marguerite."  
  
Marguerite looked up at him slyly, smiling, then stood up. She slowly, sensually glided over to where he was and promptly sat herself in his lap. Wrapping her arms around his neck she leaned down and whispered in his ear.  
  
"I'm glad too, John. Because if it hadn't, I wouldn't be able to do this..." she trailed off, lowering her lips to Roxton's earlobe.  
  
Roxton jumped slightly and groaned at the sensation, reaching up to wrap his arms around Marguerite's waist. He closed his eyes to enjoy the feeling, but was suddenly snapped out of it by the sound of a very amused Challenger clearing his throat. Roxton jumped up, dropping Marguerite onto her rump on the floor.  
  
"Oh!" Marguerite exclaimed as Roxton accidentally dumped her out of his lap. "John!"  
  
Challenger couldn't contain his laughter, and soon he was doubled over, clutching his sides as he laughed harder than he had in a long time. Marguerite soon began to blush as she realized what was going on, and her frustration at being dumped into the floor was forgotten as embarrassment quickly set in.  
  
"Challenger!" Marguerite exclaimed, rather angry that the man was finding the situation as humorous as he was.  
  
"I'm sorry Marguerite," Challenger managed between chuckles. "I really shouldn't be laughing."  
  
Marguerite pulled herself up off of the floor and shouted, "You're right, you shouldn't!"  
  
"Are you feeling better, George?" Roxton asked, somewhat to cover up his own embarrassment and somewhat to save the man from Marguerite's wrath.  
  
"Very much so," Challenger replied. "I'm rather sluggish, but atleast I'm alive."  
  
Marguerite sighed and nodded, trying to push aside her anger. "Yes, you're lucky to be alive at all. That was a mighty strong sedative you took, George. What happened?"  
  
"I was trying to drug Julian so it would be easier to handle her. Apparently she was immune to the sedative though, and I ended up being the one to take the fall."  
  
"Obviously," Marguerite replied sarcastically.  
  
"Where are Veronica and Malone?" Challenger asked, looking around and seeing neither of them.  
  
"They went to find Julian," Roxton told him.  
  
"Why in God's name would they do that?"  
  
"Veronica think she knows how to kill her," Marguerite answered.  
  
"How?" Challenger asked, quite intrigued.  
  
"Fire," was all Roxton said.  
  
"Fire? How does she figure fire will kill Julian?"  
  
"Veronica says there's an old Zanga legend telling of a creature that fits Julian to a tee. In the legend, the creature was afraid of fire, and when the Zanga villagers places fire in their tents as protection the creature went away and never returned," Roxton explained.  
  
"And apparently the creature ran and hid in a strip of land within the south mountain range of the plateau," Marguerite added.  
  
"Is that where Veronica and Malone are?" Challenger asked.  
  
Both Marguerite and Roxton nodded.  
  
"Shouldn't we go after them to try and help?"  
  
"Veronica told us to meet her here," Roxton told him.  
  
"And I don't know about you two, but I could certainly use some rest. No use in losing a good night's sleep just because they're out wondering through the woods," Marguerite said in her usual carefree tone.  
  
Roxton smiled and said, "Actually, that's not a bad idea. We should all get some rest."  
  
"I think I've gotten enough rest already," Challenger said with a slight chuckle.  
  
"Well then how about keeping watch for us, eh old boy?" Roxton said, giving him a pat on the back.  
  
"I'd be glad to," Challenger said with a smile. "I'll call you two if anything happens."  
  
"Sounds good to me," Marguerite said, walking past him back towards the bedrooms.  
  
Challenger let out a heavy sigh and sat down in the chair out on the balcony so that he could get some fresh air. He smiled to himself as he thought back to the scene he had found when he walked out of his room. He knew Marguerite and Roxton had become closer these past few days, but he didn't know they had gotten that close. He shook his head lightly, not noticing that Roxton had followed Marguerite into her room...  
  
~*~  
  
End part twelve  
  
~*~  
  
Authors notes: Whew, Finally! I never thought I'd get this bloody chapter finished!!! I know it's pretty much a filler, but I guess it did have some helpful information... and ALOT of M/R shippiness! WOO!!! Not to mention I threw in a bit of N/V for all you fans out there... YOU'RE WELCOME! Lol... Anywayz, a big thank you goes out to all of you that have stuck by me throughout this whole thing. From breaking the posting record to breaking the NON posting record (*grin*), a handful of you have reviewed, reviewed and reviewed. The next chapter, which will most likely be the last or atleast the one before the last, will be dedicated entirely to you. Especially to those of you who have the strong desire to see Julian get her come-upance. You WILL be rewarded in the next chapter, I promise! Once again, thank you all!!!  
  
~*~  
  
Possible questions answered in part 13:  
  
Will Veronica and Malone be able to defeat Julian?  
  
Who was watching Veronica along the path?  
  
Oooooo, what are Roxton and Marguerite doooiiiinnnggg?!  
  
You'll have to read to find out, buddy... 


	13. The Final Battle

~*~ Disclaimer, etc. in part one ~*~ Authors notes: With a incredible lack of sleep and a strong desire to conclude her fanfic, Brandy Leigh set out on a journey to write two chapters in two days... the two final chapters of Mayhem Mountain. Following is part one of the amazing two part finale, fittingly titled 'The Final Battle'. Part two is tentatively titled 'Fading Sunset', and will most likely be presented to you very soon. So sit back, relax, and enjoy THE FINAL BATTLE.  
  
P.s. OMG Sorry I took so long to get this out to you guys... I had no idea it had been this long! I guess that's what I get for getting tied up in other fanfics and family affairs. But for all of you who knew the news about my hand, I AM HEALED! Yep, I went and got it taken care of so I can type full time now. GO ME!!!  
  
CrimsonCat - Oh my wonderful, lovely feline friend... you are truly awesome! Your review had me laughing so hard I thought I was going to pee my pants!!! I love the whole step by step in depth review you gave me, it was honestly one of the best. It let me know which parts were good, which parts sucked, and just plain ol' made me laugh! *grin* So of course I'll let you know what Roxton and Marguerite were doing... actually, I think I'll just leave it up to your imagination. *grin* There will be hints in this chapter, though! Don't worry, this isn't the last chapter. As you can see, there's one more. YAY! And just to ease your little kitty mind, it's the real Challenger... :O)  
  
P.s. You bet... more Brandy Leigh fics will be coming your way once Mayhem Mountain is complete!  
  
veggie5 - Wow you hired a SWAT team just for me? *sniffle* I feel so loved! I bet they've had a fun time looking for me this time, because I was gone for what, five months? YIKES!!! But I promise, never again! I mean jeez... But yeah, thanks for yet another awesome review! This past chapter was not the best, but it was certainly one of my favorites to write. The whole M/R scene that Challenger interrupts was absolutely my fave, and I'm glad that you and everyone else seemed to love it as much as I do! Yeah the fic is almost over (WAAAHHHH!), but as I think I stated before, thank God for sequels! Not only that, but new fics where I can make much, much more trouble for our favorite heroes... mwahahaha! And uhm... you're starting to like Finn? SHAME ON YOU! (no offense Finn-fans... she's just not my bag, baby...)  
  
Evil Irish Eyes - Wow you really liked it that much? *g* And no, you killing Julian isn't an option... but you can sure as heck try! Come hither, and glance upon my almighty collection of weaponry. *opens a door and thousands upon thousands of rifles, guns, knifes, swords, and many other exotic weapons stare back at you* Take your pic dear Evil sister, and may the force be with you! *hums the Star Wars theme song* Lol okay sorry... temporary moment of insanity. (*scoffs* ...temporary...) And I'm glad you liked the Challenger interruption scene! As I told veggie5, it was my fave to write and man, if it made you laugh that hard I guess I did a good job with it! *grins like an idiot* And you know what... I missed you too. So let's both get back on the ball and write some more in our fics, eh? Our fans await!!!  
  
Ascamelien - Don't worry about not reviewing until now! I completely understand... Now I've just got to get caught up with your stories and review them all before you hunt me down and beat me with a stick! And awww you think my story is a masterpiece? Gosh, you know how to feel a gal feel really grand, you know that? *sobs, sniffle, grabs a tissue and blows her nose* Yeah *ahem* anyway... I'm glad you liked the Challenger interruption! You might wanna, you know... read this chapter... *hint hint* And about what's bugging you (wanting to know what's going to happen next), READ ON GIRLFRIEND!!! Oh and trust me, the answer to what Marguerite and Roxton are doing is so definitely answered in this chapter. Can I get a what what? *snicker* Thanks for the "job well done", and I hope you love this chapter just as much!  
  
Jaclyn - Hmm... what are they doing INDEED! I guarantee you, this chapter surely will tell you what's going on in the bedroom, buddy! Don't worry about taking so long to read the last chapter and review, I know what you mean about life getting crazy. Life's gotten so crazy on my end that you can't even say that you've got the non-posting record anymore. I mean, I took a five month hiatus, man! Beat that, yo! I don't know about you, but I usually get writing for six months or so then I hit writers block and have it for about five or six months. I hate it... *sniffle* Well I'm glad you liked my little Challenger interruption scene. I tell ya, this next chapter is a big one. It's like the last scene times like ten, dude! *sigh* Anywho... I hope the wait was worth it!  
  
  
  
Mayhem Mountain (13/14) by: Brandy Leigh  
  
~*~  
  
As the sun rose high over the plateau casting a beautiful sunrise across the horizon, Veronica and Malone made their way down the stone pathway which would lead them directly to the entrance of the cave. They had been traveling through most of the night, taking a few stops here and there to rest their weary limbs. It would not be long now before the final stretch of the fiercest battle they had yet to fight would be reached.  
  
The two travelers paused before the great structure before them, the cave of the beast they were about to face. They looked at each other as if to gather strength, or maybe to say a quiet prayer. They both knew that if this plan didn't work, the others were bound to die, as well as they were. They knew first hand what this beast was capable of, and it was nothing to take lightly.  
  
"Is this it?" Malone asked, somewhat serious, somewhat trying to stall.  
  
Veronica nodded and replied, "Are you ready?"  
  
"No," Malone answered honestly, "but if we don't do this now, I'll lose my nerve."  
  
Veronica smiled slightly, then proceeded to relight the torch that Malone had been carrying in his backpack once they no longer needed it. After that was done she walked towards him, reaching out with her good arm and taking his hand, drawing him to her.  
  
"Veronica?" he asked, a bit concerned.  
  
"I just wanted to tell you, that if things go wrong in there and we don't make it... I love you, Ned. I've loved you for a long time and I've just been too blind to see it or admit it."  
  
Malone gazed down at her, smiling at the fact that even in the face of danger, with a broken arm and everything else, Veronica was still as beautiful and loving as ever. She was the sun breaking through the storm, a light to guide him through. He slowly leaned down and pressed his lips to hers, savoring in the feel of her body pressed to his. After a moment he pulled back and brushed a lock of her hair out of her face.  
  
"I love you too, Veronica. We're going to win this thing, I promise," he told her softly.  
  
"But what if we don't, Ned?" It was now Veronica's turn to voice her distress.  
  
"Then we'll still be together and I'll still love you. Nothing could ever change that, not even death."  
  
Veronica smiled and leaned up to kiss him once more, a plan formulating in her head. She loved Malone dearly, and was not prepared for him to risk his life. She knew that if something were to happen to her in the cave, Malone would do everything to save her. She couldn't lose him, she wouldn't.  
  
Swiftly, Veronica pushed Malone away, sweeping her foot around to kick his feet up from under him. As he hit the ground she took off as fast as she could for the opening in the cave, never looking back once. She knew that if she looked back and saw his face, she would regret what she was doing and stop right there.  
  
"Veronica, no!" Malone yelled after her. "You can't beat it alone! Veronica!"  
  
Veronica didn't listen, she just held the torch tight and entered the cave, disappearing before Malone had even gotten himself up and composed. He rushed after her, hoping to catch up with her before she was in too far over her head. Apparently the cave had other ideas, for when he reached the entrance it was as if he had run face first into a brick wall.  
  
With a loud thud Malone was thrown back from the wall and hurled to the ground once more. He stared up at the entrance; there had been nothing there to block him and yet he could not get through. It reminded him of the time when he had to face his fear against the Ultouma... and that scared him.  
  
"Veronica!" he yelled as he stood and pressed his fist against the invisible barrier. "It's a trap! It knows you're coming, Veronica! Come back! Please!"  
  
He banged his fist against the barrier again, then slammed his shoulder into it only to feel the pain of his shoulder being thrown out of socket. He slid to his knees in the dirt, grasping his shoulder and staring into the dark void before him. There was nothing he could do, again. If she died this time there was no bringing her back, and it would be all his fault.  
  
Veronica could hear Malone calling to her from outside the cave, but she couldn't make out what he was saying. She was waiting for him to trot in behind her at any moment, telling her how crazy and stupid it was for her to have run off of her own. Each step further inside the cave made his voice fade more, and it soon became clear that he wasn't coming after her.  
  
For a moment she contemplated going back and seeing what was keeping him, but something inside her urged her to keep moving forward. The Ultouma probably knew she was there by now, and if she ran it would most likely ruin the only chance she had, and cause death for herself and her friends.  
  
Taking a deep breath, Veronica pushed on. "This is it," she told herself, gripping the torch tightly with one hand as she held the other to her stomach to curve the pain in her arm.  
  
A low hissing echoed throughout the cave, bouncing off of the walls and making it sound like it was all around her. A deep chill enveloped her, making her shiver hard against it. Yet she pushed on, and soon the cave opened into a large lair which was obviously the resting place of the Ultouma.  
  
"Come out, come out wherever you are!" Veronica called, her voice bouncing back to her as soon as it came out of her mouth. "You know what I'm here to do, let's get this over with dammit!"  
  
With wide eyes, Veronica watched as a large dark figure slithered out of a nearby hole in the wall. It rose to it's full height and let out a deep growl, glaring down at her with angry yellow eyes. In seconds it was inches from her with it's face lowered down in front of hers, making her drop the torch.  
  
"Yes... let's."  
  
Outside the cave, Malone was trying to think of a way to alert the rest of his friends of his situation. He had one of the signal mirrors inside his shirt pocket, but without the others expecting a message it was unlikely that they would get it. Regardless of the fact, it was currently the only chance he had.  
  
With his uninjured arm he reaching into his pocket and removed the mirror, trying his best to remember the morris code letters that he had been attempting to learn. He had been known to mess up many messages in the past, but this was one that had to go through correctly. Veronica's life, and possibly everyone else's, depended on him getting this right.  
  
"S...O...S... T...R...O...U...B...L...E..." he attempted to spell out. With a deep sigh he sent the message again, four or five times more, hoping against hope that someone at the treehouse would see it and respond.  
  
Across the plateau Challenger still sat on the balcony, relaxing as best he could and trying to clear his mind. His brain was still a bit cloudy from the sedative formula he had been affected by, and he was running scientific formulas through his head to make sure he was thinking straight.  
  
Challenger closed his eyes for a moment to concentrate on a formula that was not coming to him as easily as it should, and when he opened them he was surprised to see a small light twinkling in the distance. At first he didn't know what it was, but suddenly it dawned on him.  
  
"The communicational mirrors!" he shouted, jumping up a little too quickly and stumbling to grab a piece of paper and a writing utensil. As the message repeated itself he wrote it down, then stared at the words he had written: 'SOS TROUBLE'.  
  
"Good heavens," he muttered to himself, grabbing the other signal mirror and sending a message back. With a few flicks of his wrist he told the sender of the first message that help was on it's way and hoped that they got it.  
  
"Marguerite, Roxton!" he shouted, running back to alert them of what was going on.  
  
He entered Roxton's room first and noticed it was completely empty. The bed was still made and it appeared that no one had slept in it for quite some time. He doubled back and made his way into Marguerite's room, freezing in his tracks at what he saw before him.  
  
The sheet was pulled up over two people that were obviously in the throws of passion. The two bodies rolled around a bit as if shifting position, and he heard a masculine growl followed by a very familiar feminine giggle. The sheets shifted a bit, and Roxton's head could be seen peeking over the top.  
  
Challenger stared wide eyed, not knowing exactly how to approach the situation. He opened his mouth to say something, but didn't have to. Roxton spotted him first, gasping in surprise and shock, rolling off of Marguerite and pulling the sheet taunt over both of them.  
  
"John, what are you- Challenger!" Marguerite cried, cheeks flushing redder than ever.  
  
"I... uh..." Challenger attempted to speak, but failed miserably.  
  
"What do you need, Challenger?" Roxton asked with a shaky voice, his face breaking out in a blush as well.  
  
"Well... Veronica and Malone..."  
  
"Is something wrong with them?" Marguerite asked, clutching the sheet to her bare chest.  
  
"One of them sent a message through the signal mirrors that said 'SOS TROUBLE' and I assume they want us to come and help. I uh, I sent them a message back saying help was on the way," Challenger replied, fidgeting like a child.  
  
"Right, well, we'll get ready and join you in the main room," Roxton told him.  
  
"Of course," Challenger said, hurriedly backing out of the room and making his way down the hall.  
  
As soon as he had left the room, Marguerite and Roxton turned to look at each other. Both were blushing deeply and were embarrassed as all hell about what had just transpired. Yet they couldn't go back and change it, and Veronica and Malone needed their help.  
  
"Oh my God," Marguerite said, placing her hand to her temple as if she had a headache. "How embarrassing!"  
  
"You're telling me! Challenger seems to have even worse timing than Malone now adays," Roxton replied.  
  
"Isn't that the bloody truth," she said, sitting up and reaching for her clothes that were tossed carelessly beside the bed. Roxton did the same, and within minutes both were dressed and heading out to meet up with Challenger and get everything they needed together.  
  
Back at the cave of the Ultouma, Malone let out a big sigh of relief as he received Challenger's message. Now he knew help was on the way, and the new question was whether or not they'd make it in time. There was always a chance they would arrive too late, and Veronica would already be lost.  
  
He walked over to the invisible barrier and kicked it as hard as he could before angrily heading over to settle himself against a tree. He felt useless sitting outside the cave all alone while Veronica faced the beast alone. All he could do was mope about his injured shoulder and pray that she would be alright until the others arrive to help.  
  
If he didn't know any better, Malone would have thought that Julian had been planning for this from the start. It was as if everything was being pieced together...  
  
"...a giant puzzle of death and doom," he muttered, finishing the sentence outloud and glaring at the opening in the cave.  
  
'She'll be okay, everything will work out,' he thought, trying to convince himself. However the deep seeded feeling that she was in danger kept pulling at his mind. It was a feeling that just wouldn't go away...  
  
Inside the cave, Veronica and the Ultouma stood face to face. Evil yellow eyes met angry green ones as the ultimate fight of good versus evil prepared to begin. The two circled each other, the torch laying several feet away. The Ultouma watched it with one eye making sure not to get too close to it, while Veronica tried to get closer and grab it.  
  
"Don't even think about lunging for that torch," Ultouma hissed. "It will do you no good to try."  
  
"I'll do whatever it takes to get rid of you," Veronica replied, her words dripping with anger.  
  
"And it will only get you killed, my child. You are mine now; you've been mine from the start! Welcoming me into your home, being nice to me. Sure you realized that something wasn't quite right with me, but you still went along with me. You are so weak minded! You even came to me when I called, giving me the opportunity to break your lovely arm."  
  
"Shut up!" Veronica shouted.  
  
"Mmmwhy should I? Your little plan to try and kill me, you think it scares me? Fire kills me, yes, but you will never get the chance to bring that flame anywhere near my flesh," it said with a growl.  
  
Veronica nearly growled as well and said, "Then come down here and fight me like a real person, you bitch! If you're so sure of yourself you'd take me on, fire or no fire."  
  
"Fine! So be it!" Ultouma cried as it shrank and began to take on the form of Julian once more. "It would only be fair to kill you without the extended powers that my true form allows. It only makes you seem all the more weak and powerless!"  
  
Veronica grinned, liking the odds that this new situation presented. With the Ultouma in it's human form she might just have the chance to beat it.  
  
The two women resumed their circling, both shooting daggers at the other with their eyes. Julian made the first move and lunged herself at Veronica, grabbing her by her injured arm and swinging her into the nearest wall. Veronica let out a sharp cry of pain, freezing briefly before delivering a strong kick into Julian's stomach.  
  
Tumbling back and missing the torch my mere centimeters, Julian growled and turned her neck from side to side. Several loud pops could be heard, and as soon as she had done this she went for Veronica again. She shoved Veronica back into the wall, then swung her foot around to deliver a swift kick to her temple.  
  
Veronica grunted with both impacts, then swung back at Julian with her good arm. Julian blocked it and kicked her back against the wall again. With lightning speed she grabbed one of Veronica's knives from its sheath and pressed it up under her chin hard enough to hurt but soft enough not to cut.  
  
"Trying to kill me was your biggest mistake, Veronica Layton. I could have given you a quick death, but now I will make it long and extremely painful. Say good-bye, Veronica!" Julian shouted.  
  
"No!" Veronica cried, trying her best to get away. It wasn't very easy being pinned against the wall, and it was even harder when you had a knife pressed against your throat.  
  
"Yes... oh yes!"  
  
Marguerite, Roxton and Challenger were quickly making their way through the jungle, taking the shortest path they knew of that led to the cave. The had been traveling for quite some time and were starting to wonder if they were going to be too late.  
  
"This is insane," Marguerite muttered. "It's taking too long for us to get there, we're not going to make it in time!"  
  
"Yes we are," Roxton replied, obviously agitated from where they had been previously interrupted. "We'll get there in time, and we'll kill that damn beast."  
  
"I hope you're right," Challenger said, trailing behind them and trying to keep up.  
  
"I know I am!" Roxton snapped unintentionally, then immediately apologized. "I'm sorry George, I'm just a little uptight right now."  
  
"We all are," Marguerite said, trying to make it look like he was talking about something other than he was. "It's been rough around here every since this whole mess started."  
  
"Yes of course," Challenger replied, even though he knew what Roxton had meant. "I'm sure we'll be there soon enough."  
  
As soon as he said that, Marguerite gasped and took off running ahead of them. Before anyone could ask what she had seen, she cried out, "Malone!"  
  
The three burst into the clearing where Malone sat with his left hand gripping his right shoulder. He glanced up them and let out a huge sigh of relief, obviously glad to see them.  
  
"What happened here?" Roxton asked. "Where's Veronica?"  
  
"She's in the cave," he replied. "I can't get in though, there's some kind of barrier keeping us from getting- AH!"  
  
Marguerite moved her hands away from Malone and shook her head. "Sorry, I was just checking. You've jammed your shoulder pretty bad there, Malone. I'm going to have to reset it and put it back how it belongs."  
  
Malone nodded slightly and said, "This is going to really hurt isn't it?"  
  
Marguerite just looked at Roxton and said, "Hold him, he's going to fight this."  
  
Roxton nodded and kneeled down behind Malone, gripping him around the chest and holding onto him tight. Marguerite sighed and placed one of her hands on Malone's shoulder and the other on his arm. She gave an apologetic look and muttered that she was sorry before pushing down with the one hand and jerking his arm up with the other.  
  
Malone cried out, trying to pull away from Marguerite just as she had predicted. Roxton held him close, struggling to keep him as still as he could. After a few seconds of struggling and shouting Marguerite had set his shoulder back how it should be, and he slumped back against Roxton with a shaky sigh.  
  
"You okay there, Neddy boy?" Roxton asked, loosing his grip on the younger man.  
  
"Just a little shaken up, but I'll be fine," Malone replied, sitting up and testing his arm.  
  
"Does it still hurt?" Challenger asked, leaning down to take a look at Marguerite's handy work.  
  
"Not half as much as it did before. Thank you, Marguerite."  
  
"Anytime," Marguerite said with a smile as she and Roxton helped him to stand. "And don't even ask where I learned to do that, because I'm never going to tell."  
  
The trio of men shook their heads and smiled. Marguerite had many secrets, and how she learned to reset a dislocated shoulder in under thirty seconds was another one they had to disregard. She'd tell them her secrets in maybe ten or twelve years, but for now they were better left untold.  
  
"So what are we going to do to get in that cave?" Malone asked, forgetting his pain to get straight to the point.  
  
"Well, you said something about a barrier, correct?" Challenger asked.  
  
"Yes, an invisible barrier of some sort that won't let me get in. When I tried to run into the cave after Veronica it threw me back, just like the one from a few nights ago."  
  
"Which means someone or something knew that you two were coming," Roxton said.  
  
"You mean that *thing* set a trap?" Marguerite asked.  
  
"In a matter of speaking, yes," Challenger replied. "I think its intent was to keep its prey from getting out, and to keep anyone else from getting in."  
  
"And Veronica is the prey," Malone muttered, mentally kicking himself for letting this happen.  
  
"It's not your fault, Malone. We're going to get her out of there, safe and sound," Roxton told him.  
  
Malone smiled lightly, then look from one of his friends to the other. "So, that still doesn't answer my question. How do we get in?"  
  
Challenger raised his hand to his beard and stroked it lightly as he thought, running a few ideas through his head. "I suppose we could try shooting it," he said. "Yet that might cause fatality if the bullets were to reflect back at us."  
  
"It's worth a try," Malone said, pulling his pistol from it's holster. "Anything is worth a try."  
  
Challenger nodded and pulled his pistol out as well, watching as Marguerite pulled hers out and Roxton removed both of his from his shoulder holsters. The foursome aimed the weapons at the cave's entrance and prepared to fire.  
  
"Now remember, the bullets may reflect. If they do, take cover as quickly as possible," Challenger warned.  
  
The others nodded, then shifted their attention back to the cave. On Roxton's order they began to fire, complexed by the fact that their bullets did not reflect, merely disappear into the cave. After a moment or so of firing they stopped, and Challenger went over to examine the entrance.  
  
"I don't understand," he muttered. "The barrier is still there, yet our weapons seem to have no effect what so ever. They're actually making it through, I can see marks along the cave wall inside."  
  
"Maybe it's the force of the bullets," Marguerite suggested. "They fire at a faster speed than a human can run. Maybe it all has to do with speed."  
  
"Perhaps," Challenger replied, deep in thought. "If that's so, then we merely need to find a way to make us move fast enough to get through."  
  
"And just how are we going to do that, George?" Roxton asked.  
  
Challenger grinned as a thought began to formulate in his mind. The others watching him in horror, knowing that look all too well. They were all going to risk their lives to get through that barrier, they just knew it.  
  
Moments later, Challenger had worked with the others to create a small catapoltic device. They had strung it up along the trees which directly faced the cave, and stretched it as tight as it would go. All three of the men were standing behind it, while Marguerite was positioned in front of it.  
  
"Tell me again why I have to be the one to do this?" Marguerite asked as Challenger helped get her prepared.  
  
"Because you're the lightest one of us, Marguerite," Roxton said with a grin. "Plus, I'd never miss the chance to send you hurling into an invisible barrier!"  
  
Marguerite playfully punched him in the shoulder, but he merely laughed and turned her back towards the cave. "Now now, Marguerite. Now is not the time to play."  
  
"Roxton's right, Veronica is depending on us," Challenger said. "Now remember Marguerite, if this works-"  
  
"IF?!" Marguerite exclaimed.  
  
Challenger sighed and continued, ignoring her comment. "If this works, you'll be the only one of us besides Veronica that's within the cave. We won't be able to help you from out here, so it's going to be all up to you."  
  
"Are you sure we should trust her with this?" Roxton joked.  
  
"As you said Lord Roxton, now is not the time to play," Marguerite said as she shot a glare in his direction.  
  
"As I was saying," Challenger continued as he stepped in between the two bickering lovers. "Be careful in there. I have no doubt in my mind that you and Veronica can beat this thing, but it's still very powerful."  
  
With that he tucked an unlit torch in her pouch, along with the means to light it once she was inside. He gave her a quick hug, then moved aside so that Malone and Roxton could do so as well. Roxton lingered a bit longer than he should have when it was his turn, and she held on just as tight.  
  
"Be careful, my love," he whispered into her ear so that only she could hear. "Come back to me."  
  
"You know I will," she whispered back before finally letting go. "Okay, let's get this over with," she said in her regular voice.  
  
All three of the men got behind her, and took hold of the device that Marguerite was settled into. They pulled, walking backwards to tighten the device even more than it already was. When they had pulled it as tight as it could go, Challenger instructed them to stop.  
  
"On the count of three we let go. One... two... three!"  
  
With that they released the ropes on the device, and Marguerite was sent flying in the direction of the cave. She let out a yelp as she went flying through the air, and braced herself for the impact of being smashed into the barrier. To her surprise she sailed through, and instead connected with the interior wall.  
  
"Oof!" she exclaimed, sliding down to the cave floor.  
  
"Marguerite!" Roxton shouted. "Are you okay?"  
  
"Just dandy," she muttered, pulling herself up. "Don't worry about me, the wall broke my fall."  
  
"Now remember," Challenger butted in before anyone else could say anything. "You must be careful. You're only in there to help Veronica and finish the job, then get out. We know how much you hate Julian, but don't push it."  
  
Marguerite gave him one of her world famous glares as she dusted herself off. She pulled the torch from the pack on her back as well as the "matches" that had been constructed by must testing by Challenger.  
  
"Yes George, I know. You've only told me a thousand times!" she exclaimed as she swiped the primitively made match along the cave wall. She brought the flame up to the torch and waited until it was lit before waving the match around to put it out.  
  
"It's now or never," she muttered, casting one last loving glance at Roxton before turning to head further into the cave.  
  
Once inside the cave, Marguerite was greeted by the same atmosphere that Veronica had been. Hissing continued to echo all around, and the temperature had dropped about ten degrees since Veronica had entered. It felt as if she was walking through a meat locker in the middle of winter with merely a blouse on.  
  
"My, my. I wonder why it's so cold in here," she said to herself. "Someone trying to keep from the heat? Or maybe just making it harder to light a fire, hmm?"  
  
In the distance Marguerite could faintly hear the sounds of a struggle, and she began to pick up her pace. The sounds of two women wrestling about grew louder as she pushed on, the cave eventually opening up into one central area.  
  
Stopping for a moment to familiarize herself with the interior, Marguerite tried to find the source of the noise. After a moment of looking her eyes finally rested on a space in the far area of the opening where Julian had Veronica pressed against the wall. A flash of light caused her to realize that something metallic and very sharp was held close against Veronica's throat.  
  
Marguerite rose her gun with and pointed it directly at the back of Julian's head, gripping the torch with the other. Taking a deep breath she began to shout.  
  
"Hey you! Super bitch! Yeah, why don't you mess with someone your own size!" she yelled across the cave.  
  
Julian's eyes slowly turned to focus on Marguerite, the dagger still pressing firmly into Veronica's flesh. Her lips slit slightly to form a cruel grin, and low laugh escaped through the grin.  
  
"Why dear Marguerite, it's a pleasure to know that you've joined us. I'm not sure how you made it through my force field, but that's not important. What is important is that you will now witness your friends death, and you will now be the second to suffer my wrath."  
  
"Force field?" Veronica thought out loud. No wonder Malone hadn't followed her in!  
  
"Of course," Julian said, turning her attention back to Veronica. "You didn't think I'd let him spoil the fun, now did you?"  
  
"Let her go!" Marguerite shouted, firing a warning shot which bounced off the cave walls. The sound echoed back, all the way out to where Roxton, Challenger and Malone were waiting. She knew the gunshot had most likely worried them, but she did not waver.  
  
Julian swung around to glare at Marguerite, the weight on the dagger lifting slightly. With a growl she voiced her aggravation.  
  
"Don't you tell me what to do!" she screamed.  
  
"Oh but why not," Marguerite pushed, trying to buy Veronica some time. "You know you'd rather kill me first. I mean hell, I ruined your plan earlier, didn't I? You were going to feed on me, but yet I helped to free Roxton and ruin it all. Kill me, why don't you? Save Veronica for last."  
  
"An excellent idea," Julian hissed, stepping forward and forgetting that Veronica was behind her. "Lower your torch my child, and I'll do just that."  
  
"Lower this!" Veronica shouted, taking the opportunity to kick Julian from behind as hard as she could.  
  
Marguerite let loose another bullet, this time aiming straight for Julian's chest. Julian was stunned momentarily, freezing up for a moment and lowering herself to her knees. She breathed heavily, eyes glassed over, taking a moment to gather her strength and heal the unexpected wound. Normally it wouldn't have even phased her, but she had not had the chance to prepare for it.  
  
Veronica dived for her dropped torch at the same time that Marguerite made a mad dash for Julian. Both arrived at the same time, glaring down at the semi-paralyzed girl with hatred in their eyes.  
  
"This is for John!" Marguerite cried, throwing the torch down onto her.  
  
"And this is for Malone!" Veronica echoed, shoving the torch down and making sure it went right into Julian's face.  
  
"NOOOOOO!!!" Julian screamed, falling back and frantically swatting at the flames that were dissolving her flesh. "Please, no! AAAHHHHHH!!!"  
  
The flames ate at her features faster than she could swing at them, and as Marguerite and Veronica watched each layer of her existence began to melt away. First her flesh dropped to the ground like wax, followed by muscle and bone and organs. Finally all that remained was a golden goblet... the Goblet of Courage.  
  
Veronica stepped forward as the flames began to lessen, picking the goblet up from the center of the gooey mass. She held it up to her face and studied it closely before grinning, handing it over to Marguerite. Marguerite studied it as well, taking the time to decipher the writings written all around the base of the goblet.  
  
"He who obtains this goblet shall be set free; free of the torture and free of the fear," she read out loud.  
  
As she said this, a whisp of air began to build up around the place where Julian had been. A visible wind rose from her remains, swirling up as if it was a cyclone. It circled the two woman, filling with love and warmth. It rose high into the air, picking up speed before finally flying out of the cave as fast as it possibly could.  
  
"Free," Veronica said in awe. "They're all free."  
  
"The souls Ultouma had taken," Marguerite agreed. "They can now finally be at peace."  
  
The two looked at each other, then took once last glance at the smoking remains of the once invincible Ultouma. After a moment they made their way to the exit of the cave, not wasting a moment as they headed out.  
  
To their hope and surprise, the barrier which had once been at the entrance of the cave was gone, allowing them to easily exit out into the opening where the men were waiting. Roxton and Malone instantly made a mad dash for them, grabbing them both into tight and love filled embraces.  
  
"Marguerite, you're all right!" Roxton exclaimed, spinning her around. "We heard gunshots, and then there was this gust of wind that shot out of the cave like a cannon. I was so worried!"  
  
"Everything is all right now," Marguerite said with a smile as Roxton set her down.  
  
She gazed up at him, pushing herself up on the tip of her toes to place a soft kiss on his lips. She ignored the looks of the others as they watched, not caring a bit what they thought at this point. When she pulled away, she looked over at where Malone and Veronica stood embracing, and past that to where Challenger stood smiling that fatherly smile of his.  
  
"What?" she asked the others with a grin. "Don't even start with me, I see the way you two look at each other. And you're over there hugging just as much as we are, so hush!"  
  
Veronica and Malone laughed slightly, glancing over at each other and blushing slightly knowing that they were caught. Veronica nodded and looked back over at Marguerite.  
  
"Okay fine, we're in love. What's your story?" she asked with a knowing smile.  
  
"Us? Maybe you should ask Challenger," Marguerite replied, glancing over at Challenger who was chuckling and blushing slightly at the comment.  
  
"Why Challenger?" Malone asked, looking from the embracing couple over to the blushing scientist.  
  
"Let's just say he walked in at the wrong time," Roxton replied with a grin, poking Marguerite in the stomach playfully.  
  
Marguerite chuckled then buried her face into Roxton's chest, inhaling his scent with a loving sigh. Neither noticed Veronica and Malone look over at a nodding Challenger with wide eyes as they realized what exactly Roxton meant.  
  
The five explorers took a moment to collect themselves before gathering everything they had brought and prepared to head back to the treehouse. They had just experienced the most grueling and exhausting experience of their lives and were now prepared to follow it with a week of relaxing and getting things back to normal... as normal as things got on the plateau, that is.  
  
~*~ End part thirteen ~*~ Authors notes: Wow dude... five months all leading up to this. I think this chapter had alot in it, don't you? I mean wow, Roxton and Marguerite enjoying a roll in the hay, the death of Julian Gatessi? That's like a chapter and a half, man! But anyway, enough rambling. Let me know what you guys think. I mean now that I'm back from my five month hiatus (damn you writers block!), I want reviews! Help me help you... Right, anywho. I've already begun work on a sequel to this fic, and as you can see there's still another chapter to come. The calm AFTER the storm, I supposed you could say. Well, that's all for now folks! Stay tuned for the final chapter of Mayhem Mountain!!! 


	14. Fading Sunset

~*~ Disclaimer, etc. in part one ~*~ Authors notes: Fading Sunset, the end of an era. The last and final chapter of Mayhem Mountain. I know all of you are sad, but don't cry! As I told you before, I've already started work on a sequel! YAY! I plan on writing much, much more Lost World fanfiction, so this is so not the last you'll be hearing of me. I also just want to clear up a few things:  
  
As a few of you asked me, yeah I had some problems with my hand. I had a cyst in my right hand which was making it hard for me to type (lots of pain). I had it worked on and the cyst is gone, although I have a feeling it's slowly coming back. Everyone please pray that it doesn't come back, because then I'll have to have surgery on it. WAAAH! It would be my first surgery, and I don't want it... Anywho.  
  
  
  
Mayhem Mountain (14/14) by: Brandy Leigh  
  
~*~  
  
Marguerite sighed inwardly as she sat on the balcony of the treehouse, her eyes grazing across the fading sunset of the horizon. The past week had been a rough one, full of death and pain and suffering. Somehow they had all managed pulled through it, but each of them were haunted by their experiences.  
  
The visions that had once tormented Marguerite were thankfully long gone, but left overs from the horrid images still tended to drift through her mind whenever it would wonder. The pain from the bullet which tore through her body still made her wince every time she thought about it. She knew Roxton was suffering from that one as well, and that bothered her.  
  
Losing William to the same freak accident made what had happened with Marguerite far much worse for Roxton. He had just known that she was dead, and the knowledge that he had shot her would never let him go. It still rested heavily on his shoulders as he made his way to the balcony where his beautiful lady sat.  
  
The way her eyes went wide as the bullet hit, the pain he knew she was feeling as she slowly slipped to the ground. The dying words that escaped her lips as she died by his hand. Although Marguerite was still well and alive, and although her death had only been an illusions, Lord John Richard Roxton would forever live with the guilt of shooting her.  
  
Sensing the movement of the hunter behind her, Marguerite spun around. She smiled lightly when she saw that it was Roxton, but her face soon fell to a frown when she noticed the anguish in his eyes. She knew what he was thinking about, for it was the same sad expression he wore whenever he was thinking of William.  
  
"John... come here," she said to him, lending an outstretched hand to him.  
  
Taking it carefully, Roxton stepped closer to her on the balcony and took a seat next to her. His eyes were tired, his face was creased with lines of worry and guilt. His posture was that of a man who had been without sleep for ages. He cast his eyes over at the sunset for a moment before glancing back over at Marguerite.  
  
Marguerite sighed when her eyes met his. She was worried about him, and with good reason. Tugging him closer she rested her head on his shoulder and wrapped her arms around him.  
  
"You still blame yourself, don't you?" she asked softly.  
  
"I shot you," he murmured against her hair.  
  
"Not on purpose, John. Not to mention it was only an illusion, it wasn't real."  
  
"I didn't shoot William on purpose either, Marguerite."  
  
With a sigh Marguerite sat up and took Roxton's face in her hands. She stared him straight in the eyes, a look of fierce determination on her face. She licked her lips slightly to prepare herself for a lecture, noticing how Roxton's eyes watched this movement.  
  
"You risk your life every day to save us, you have saved me more times than I can count! I told you once before and I'll tell you once again, I don't know what I'd do without you by my side. I need you to realize how much you mean to me, John Roxton. I need you to snap out of this and realize that it was NOT your fault!"  
  
"But Marguerite, I-"  
  
"Not buts!" Marguerite exclaimed, cutting him off. Before he could pretest any further she pressed her lips to his, pulling him close and putting everything she could into it.  
  
Roxton wanted to stop her, he wanted to pull back and tell her that she was wrong, it WAS his fault. But as much as he tried, he couldn't stop himself from kissing her back. He wrapped his arms around her waist, sighing inwardly. He couldn't figure out what he had done to deserve a woman such as this.  
  
After a few moments Marguerite pulled back and gazed into Roxton's eyes once more. She smiled and brushed his hair back, then tussled it affectionately.  
  
"I'm going to help you through this, John. I'm always going to be here for you," she told him.  
  
"You said always," he pointed out.  
  
Marguerite nodded and said, "Forever, John."  
  
Roxton pulled away from Marguerite and stood, making her wonder for a moment if she'd said something wrong. Her doubts where soon put to rest when her handsome lord dropped down onto one knee in front of her. With a charming smile that began to ease away the lines of pain on his face, Roxton began to speak.  
  
"My beautiful, beloved lady, you have promised me forever, and I plan on taking you up on that offer. Marguerite Krux... will you be my wife?"  
  
"I... I..." Marguerite stuttered, unable to form coherent speech.  
  
"So, is that a yes or a no?" Roxton asked with an amused smirk.  
  
Marguerite couldn't believe that Roxton had just asked her to marry him! She took a deep breath, a thousand thoughts racing through her brain. Would she be a good enough wife for him? Did he really love her with all his heart, or when they got back to London would he run after anything with breasts?  
  
She knew that marriage was a big step, but one that was surely unavoidable. She was deeply in love with Roxton, and judging from what he'd said and done for her over the past three years he loved her, too. She wanted to marry him, she really did... Putting her doubts aside, she forced a grin at him. Nodding slowly, her eyes began to water with tears.  
  
Roxton stood up and launched himself at her, wrapping his arms around her waist. He pulled her up from her seat, hoisted her into the air, and spun her around. She giggled as he spun her and he chuckled along; they were both more happy than they had been in ages.  
  
"Marguerite said yes! She's going to marry me, she's going to be my wife!" he shouted happily as he sat her down, not caring who heard his proclamation.  
  
"John!" she exclaimed with a smile, whacking him in the arm. "You don't have to tell the world!"  
  
"Of course I do," he said lovingly. "If we're going to be wed, I want the world to know."  
  
"What in the name of science?" Challenger asked as he came up from his lab. "Who said what about marriage?"  
  
"You finally asked her?" Malone asked as he came running into the room.  
  
"She said yes?" Veronica asked excitedly as she ran into the room right behind him.  
  
Marguerite scowled up at Roxton and asked, "Everyone already knew?"  
  
"Ah well, everyone but Challenger," he replied as he looked over at the clueless scientist and chuckled.  
  
"For someone who walks in at all the wrong moments you sure are cluless, George!" Marguerite exclaimed as she and everyone else joined in the laughter.  
  
"Wait, you mean... you two are getting married?" Challenger asked the still embracing couple.  
  
"Yes!" Everyone exclaimed at once.  
  
"Well, congradulations!" Challenger managed to say before running over to Marguerite and Roxton and hugging them both.  
  
Veronica and Malone grinned and went over to the threesome, joining in on the giant hug as well. The five stood there like this for some time, relishing in the rarely felt happiness that was radiating throughout the room. It was the perfect moment as the sun set behind them, the pastel colors splaying across the plateau and throughout the treehouse.  
  
The souls that Marguerite and Veronica set free danced wildly in the receding light, smiling in that magical way that only spirits could. Their singing voices drifted throughout the meadows, whispering like the wind. Through the treehouse they went, touching each resident of the treehouse as they passed.  
  
"What was that?" Marguerite asked, separating herself from the group hug.  
  
"I don't know," Veronica said, pulling away as well, "but it was friendly."  
  
"Friendly indeed," Challenger added. "It felt calming, if I do say so myself."  
  
"The spirits released from Ultouma," Malone said with a grin.  
  
"You think so?" Roxton asked, glancing around the room.  
  
"I know so," Veronica answered, smiling as she looked around as well. "Rest in peace, you're finally free from the fear."  
  
Another cool breeze went through the room as if in response, causing each of the explorers to look at each other and smile. Things were finally looking up for them all, and perhaps now there would be peace in the treehouse. No more demonic fear demons, no more bickering from Marguerite and Roxton... or so they thought.  
  
~*~ End part fourteen ~*~ Authors notes: WAAAAAAHHH, it's over!!! *collapses to the floor and bursts into tears, banging her hands and feet on the floor like a child* I can't believe it guys! This has been the most wild and amazing journey I've ever been through. I know this chapter was short, but it's sort of like the last clip of show before the end credits roll, you know? *just sniffles and grabs a tissue from the box before passing it on to all of her readers* I know you guys need them, so tissues all around! Now, what I need from you guys is for you to send me DETAILED reviews that run through the whole story. What I mean is, what are some questions that you have? What didn't you understand? What would you like to be explained and/or explored in the sequel? Let me know! With lost of love... this is Brandy Leigh signing out. 


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